Private members' bill on the funding of the greyhound industry
Tue, Nov 15, 2022
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Today I launched a private members' bill to change the way the government funds the greyhound industry. Currently the greyhound industry receives a set ratio of Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund every year. This amendment seeks to put better financial controls on how that money is disbursed.
The Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001 hardcodes a 80:20 split of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund between Horse Racing Ireland and Rásaíocht Con Éireann (formally Bord na gCon). While the Minister for Agriculture has discretion to vary the split, with Oireachtas approval, the full fund would be disbursed every year in full to the two bodies. The minister has never varied the split.
The Horse and Greyhound Racing Amendment Bill 2022 will:
- remove the 80:20 split
- require the minister to set a split based on a business plan
- Allow for some of that fund not to be disbursed e.g. allow for a 70:10 split between HRI and RCÉ with the remainder remaining in the fund.
When the fund was established in 2001 it was capped at £200m (~ €253m). Every few years this cap has needed to be increased and currently stands at €1.54 billion (i.e. total amount paid from fund to date).
RCÉ’s share of this money is being used to prop up an industry that has dwindling public support, animal welfare issues, and is essentially run for the benefit of international gambling companies.
We need to provide a mechanism to review government funding for this industry in a manner will ensure a just transition for people in the industry.
