The Students' Union at University College Cork will no longer “condone, promote or run events which involve horse racing and/or betting on animals” after a successful motion was passed last week. 

The motion, presented by student AJ Nagle, highlighted the animal cruelty and gambling problems associated with racing.

“Horse racing, and the horse racing industry as a whole, knowingly and willingly partakes in the mistreatment and abuse of animals which is overseen by Horse Racing Ireland,” the motion outlined. “Promoting student race days, by extension, the Students’ Union would be promoting gambling and/or betting. Horse Racing Ireland receives huge subsidies from the government every year receiving over €72 million for 2023. As gambling is a serious issue and can lead to long term problems, and supports an industry that enables animal abuse, UCC Students’ Union should not promote these activities.” 

The motion added: “The horse racing industry receives large grants from the government and therefore does not need the financial support of UCC Students’ Union and the students it represents. Furthermore, as animal welfare is an issue in the horse racing industry, it does not reflect the values of UCCSU.”

The passing of the motion at the UCCSU Student Council's 29 March 2023 meeting means that it is now official policy that the Students' Union will put in place a “ban on being involved, running or supporting events that involve horse racing and/or betting on animals” and this will include a ban on using any facilities belonging to or affiliated with Horse Racing Ireland or any other private horse racing facility.

Previously, a motion was passed which mandated UCCSU’s Entertainment Officer to “not organise any UCCSU hosted events using any event space or facilities belonging to or associated with the Irish Greyhound Board or any other privately owned greyhound stadia”.

The motion, which followed the broadcast of RTE's “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” - an award-winning documentary that exposed the horrors of greyhound racing - noted that “animal abuse occurs in the Irish greyhound race industry, which is overseen by the Irish Greyhound Board”. It went on to state that “animal abuse is fundamentally wrong and against the progressive climate of society” and that “UCCSU should not condone or support this abuse with promotion and events.”

Congratulation to AJ Nagle on the passing of these important motions and thanks to the students who voted them through. We hope other students' unions around the country will follow suit and discourage students from supporting horse and greyhound racing - animal-killing activities that fuel Ireland's gambling addiction epidemic.

Watch the BBC Panorama documentary “The Dark Side of Horse Racing”
https://youtu.be/VlpQhJFd5Bo

Watch RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” documentary
https://youtu.be/ZYTb2qBjlMM