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"We don't want to see more dog racing in our city, and this amendment is another way of restricting that” - Michael Pidgeon, the Green Party Councillor behind a successful amendment to Dublin City Council's latest development plan.
Thanks to the Dublin South West Inner City Councillor's submission, the “Dublin City Development Plan 2022 – 2028” makes it clear that there will be a "presumption against the development of further dog racing tracks in the city".
Dublin City Council's planning department confirmed to the Irish Council Against Blood Sports that while the presumption “does not preclude the making of a planning application” for further dog racing tracks in the city, it “implies that planning permission is highly unlikely to be granted for such applications”.
“Not only does this send a clear signal about animal welfare in our capital, but hopefully land like this could be repurposed for much needed housing instead,” Councillor Pidgeon has commented. "I don't think there were any objections to the Green amendment to the development plan, which clearly shows a strong majority in favour of ending dog racing - and ensuring no new dog tracks get started.”
“The place for a dog is in a loving home, not a gambling-focused industry," he added.
There is only one remaining greyhound track – Shelbourne Park - remaining in Dublin, following the closure in 2017 of Harold's Cross stadium.
There are growing calls on the government to shut Shelbourne Park down and allow the site to be redeveloped for much needed housing in the city.
The calls follows revelations that in 2021 at the 4,200 capacity stadium, the average attendance per race meeting was a mere 198 and the average attendance for the first five months of 2022 was just 482.
Further to a Dail Question from Mick Barry TD, Greyhound Racing Ireland revealed that attendance at Shelbourne Park for the whole of 2021 was just 29,563, spread over 149 meetings throughout the year and attendance from January to the end of May 2022 was 26,054 (over 54 race meetings).
A 2019 Indecon report commissioned by Greyhound Racing Ireland stated that the capacity of Shelbourne Park is “4200 persons, between the ground, intermediate, first and second floor as per the fire safety certificate”. https://www.grireland.ie/globalassets/report-pdfs/indecon/indecon-independent-strategic-review-of-irish-greyhound-racing-stadia-december-2019.pdf#page=81
It is understood that the so-called attendance at Shelbourne Park was mostly made up of greyhound owners and trainers and not paying members of the public.
It emerged last June that Greyhound Racing Ireland has been substantially inflating its “attendance” figures by including greyhound owners, greyhound trainers, bookies and those in possession of complimentary passes. The wholly misleading attendance figures have been presented by GRI to convey a level of public support for greyhound racing which does not exist.
“Attendance” for the whole of 2021 at GRI’s nine stadia was 115,278. However, this figure included 76,993 attendances by greyhound owners and trainers participating in racing activities, 1,896 attendances by bookmakers and 2,186 “complimentary” entries – that’s a total of 81,075. Excluding these, the annual attendance figure is slashed to a mere 34,203. That’s an average of 3,800 per GRI track or an average of just 73 people per track each week. With most tracks having two race meetings per week, and Shelbourne Park having three, the average attendance for the nine tracks is even lower.
A breakdown of the figures shows that in 2021, the attendance included just 32,496 adults and 127 children. See below for full details.
Similarly, the attendance figures for the first five months of 2022 are hugely inflated by individuals involved in greyhound racing – out of the 75,333 attendances at GRI stadia from January to the end of May, more than half (38,188) were “attendances” by owners, trainers and bookies.
Greyhound Racing Ireland is refusing to reveal how much of the “attendance” at Shelbourne Park Stadium is made up of people who pay to enter.
Catherine Murphy TD requested the information in a Dail Question. She asked the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue for “details of the track attendance at Shelbourne Park Stadium for 2021 and to date in 2022, broken down by the figures of paid entry, free entry, entry by adults and entry by children.”
In a follow-up response, Greyhound Racing Ireland stated: “GRI consider the information requested as commercially sensitive and will not be disclosing it at this time. Releasing commercially sensitive information would prejudice the competitive position of the company in the conduct of its business. It would compromise contractual and other promotional negotiations in which GRI is engaged, to grow its revenue streams.”
It’s not surprising that Greyhound Racing Ireland is reluctant to release a breakdown of the attendance figures for its “flagship” Shelbourne Park stadium which it has laughably described as “a significant social and cultural asset to the people of Dublin”. The figures would confirm that the level of public interest in greyhound racing is even lower than previously thought.
The government is being urged to intervene and stop taxpayer-funded Greyhound Racing Ireland from ploughing over €2 million more into Shelbourne Park to “significantly improve the overall customer experience at the venue”. It is clear that with customers dwindling and overall interest in greyhound racing plummeting, there can be no justification for this expenditure or for the continuation of the massive state grants that are keeping this cruel, dog-killing gambling activity afloat.
The owner of Shelbourne Park wants to develop the site for housing, a move which Greyhound Racing Ireland is attempting to block. Pembroke Estates Management has urged Dublin City Council to assign residential zoning on the 5.5 acres it owns in the stadium grounds which includes the race track. “The lands have the potential to accommodate over 750 residential units in a mixed-tenure development which could provide a mix of social [and] affordable units, build-to-rent, build-for-sale and cost-rental apartment units,” it pointed out in a planning submission.
There should be no hesitation in prioritising housing over gambling and acting to shut Shelbourne Park down so that there are zero dog racing tracks in our capital.
ACTION ALERT
Don’t go greyhound racing. Please join us in urging the government to STOP the massive grants that are propping up this cruel, dog-killing gambling activity. Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland has received €309 million in funding, including €19.2 million for 2021, €17.6 million for 2022 and €18.2 million for 2023. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.
Please contact your local TDs and urge them to oppose this funding. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33
Urge the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour to stop the funding and back a ban on cruel greyhound racing
Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
Ivana Bacik TD
Leader, The Labour Party
Tel: (01) 6183136
Email: ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanabacik
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bacikivana/
“Stop state funding to cruel greyhound racing” – Email all Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Green Party, Sinn Fein and Labour Party TDs.
Fianna Fáil TDs
john.mcguinness@oireachtas.ie; niamh.smyth@oireachtas.ie; brendan.smith@oireachtas.ie; aindrias.moynihan@oireachtas.ie; michael.moynihan.td@oireachtas.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; michael.mcgrath@oireachtas.ie; Charlie.McConalogue@oireachtas.ie; sean.haughey@oireachtas.ie; jim.ocallaghan@oireachtas.ie; darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie; jack@jackchambers.ie; anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie; eamon.ocuiv@oireachtas.ie; james.lawless@oireachtas.ie; sean.ofearghail@oireachtas.ie; sean.fleming@oireachtas.ie; barry.cowen@oireachtas.ie; willie.odea@oireachtas.ie; niall.collins@oireachtas.ie; Robert.Troy@oireachtas.ie; dara.calleary@oireachtas.ie; thomas.byrne@oireachtas.ie; marc.macsharry@oireachtas.ie; jackie.cahill@oireachtas.ie; mary.butler@oireachtas.ie; james.browne@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.murnaneoconnor@oireachtas.ie; cathal.crowe@oireachtas.ie; james.oconnor@oireachtas.ie; padraig.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; christopher.osullivan@oireachtas.ie; paul.mcauliffe@oireachtas.ie; john.lahart@oireachtas.ie; cormac@cormacdevlin.ie; normafoley1@eircom.net; joe.flaherty@oireachtas.ie; Stephen.Donnelly@oireachtas.ie
Fine Gael TDs
JohnPaul.Phelan@oireachtas.ie; Heather.Humphreys@oireachtas.ie; joe.carey@oireachtas.ie; david.stanton@oir.ie; colm.burke@oireachtas.ie; michael.creed@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Coveney@oireachtas.ie; joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie; richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie; Paschal.Donohoe@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Farrell@oireachtas.ie; emer.higgins@oireachtas.ie; neale.richmond@oireachtas.ie; josepha.madigan@oireachtas.ie; colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; jennifer.carrollmacneill@oireachtas.ie; Ciaran.Cannon@oireachtas.ie; hildegarde.naughton@oireachtas.ie; Brendan.Griffin@oireachtas.ie; bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie; Martin.Heydon@oireachtas.ie; charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie; kieran.odonnell@oireachtas.ie; Patrick.O’Donovan@oireachtas.ie; peter.burke@oireachtas.ie; fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie; alan.dillon@oireachtas.ie; michael.ring@oireachtas.ie; helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie; damien.english@oireachtas.ie; frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie; paul.kehoe@oireachtas.ie; Simon.Harris@oireachtas.ie
Green Party TDs
Eamon.Ryan@greenparty.ie; catherine.martin@oireachtas.ie; patrick.costello@oireachtas.ie; francisnoel.duffy@oireachtas.ie; neasa.hourigan@oireachtas.ie; brian.leddin@oireachtas.ie; steven.matthews@oireachtas.ie; malcolm.noonan@oireachtas.ie; joe.obrien@oireachtas.ie; marc.ocathasaigh@oireachtas.ie; roderic.ogorman@oireachtas.ie;
ossian.smyth@oireachtas.ie
Sinn Fein TDs
john.brady@oireachtas.ie; pat.buckley@oireachtas.ie; Sean.Crowe@oireachtas.ie; david.cullinane@oireachtas.ie; Pearse.Doherty@oireachtas.ie; dessie.ellis@oir.ie; kathleen.funchion@oireachtas.ie; martinkennysf@gmail.com; MaryLou.McDonald@oireachtas.ie; denise.mitchell@oireachtas.ie; imelda.munster@oireachtas.ie; eoin.obroin@oireachtas.ie; donnchadh.olaoghaire@oireachtas.ie; aengus.osnodaigh@oireachtas.ie; louiseoreillysf@gmail.com; maurice.quinlivan@oireachtas.ie; Brian.Stanley@oireachtas.ie; mark.ward@oireachtas.ie; chris.andrews@oireachtas.ie; martin.browne@oireachtas.ie; matt.carthy@oireachtas.ie; sorca.clarke@oireachtas.ie; roseconwaywalsh@eircom.net; reada.cronin@oireachtas.ie; pa.daly@oireachtas.ie; paul.donnelly@oireachtas.ie; mairead.farrell@oireachtas.ie; thomas.gould@oireachtas.ie; johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie; claire.kerrane@oireachtas.ie; padraig.maclochlainn@oir.ie; johnny.mythen@oireachtas.ie; ruairi.omurchu@oireachtas.ie; darren.orourke@oireachtas.ie; patriciaryan975@gmail.com; pauline.tully@oireachtas.ie
Labour Party TDs
sean.sherlock@oireachtas.ie; aodhan.oriordain@oireachtas.ie; duncan.smith@oireachtas.ie; gerald.nash@oireachtas.ie; Alan.Kelly@oireachtas.ie; brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie; ivana.bacik@oireachtas.ie
Please sign and share the petitions
Stop supporting the cruel greyhound “industry”
https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry
GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks
Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing
Watch RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYTb2qBjlMM
SEE ALSO:
The Sunday Times (Ireland): Greyhound industry insiders make up over half of race attendees
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/greyhound-industry-insiders-make-up-over-half-of-race-attendees-0b56z5k6w
Greyhound Racing Ireland’s misleading track attendance statistics
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2022/07/06/greyhound-racing-irelands-misleading-track-attendance-statistics/
Shelbourne Park greyhound racing track owner seeks to develop site for housing https://www.irishtimes.com/business/shelbourne-park-greyhound-racing-track-owner-seeks-to-develop-site-for-housing-1.4809506
Greyhound racing in Dublin may be no more as Shelbourne Park owners seek to rezone stadium for housing
https://www.dublinlive.ie/sport/other-sport/greyhound-racing-dublin-no-more-23188938
Track Attendance: GRI Stadia
Track: 2022 (up to 31st May) / 2021 (full year)
Curraheen Park: 8,836 / 15,073
Galway: 6,610 / 9,604
Limerick: 9,434 / 13,518
Mullingar: 4,463 / 9,140
Newbridge: 3,067 / 5,525
Shelbourne Park: 26,054 / 29,563
Tralee: 8,187 / 14,041
Waterford: 5,124 / 9,541
Youghal: 3,558 / 9,273
Totals: 75,333 / 115,278
Track Attendance: Private Stadia
Track: 2022 (up to 31st May) / 2021 (full year)
Clonmel: 5,534 / 5,965
Dundalk: 7,538 / 11,031
Enniscorthy: 4,729 / 10,286
Kilkenny: 5,257 / 10,093
Thurles Park: 1,836 / 5,376
Totals: 24,894 / 42,751
ALL STADIA: 100,227 / 158,029
Track Attendance By Type (GRI Stadia)
Type: 2022 (up to 31st May) / 2021 (full year)
Adult: 19,574 / 20,155
OAP: 9,129 / 11,002
Student: 2,726 / 1,339
Child: 1,318 / 127
Complimentary: 1,036 / 2,186
Benefit Tickets: 749 / 0
Owners/Trainers: 35,912 / 76,993
Bookmakers: 1,240 / 1,896
Press: 120 / 315
Restaurant: 0 / 0
Corporate: 0 / 0
Packages: 3,505 / 204
Tour Groups: 0 / 0
Programmes: 24 / 1,061
TOTAL: 75,333 / 115,278
Track Attendance By Type (Private Stadia)
Not currently available