Register for greyhound breeding on way

A REGISTER of greyhound breeding establishments is to be drawn up under legislation introduced by Minister of State for Agriculture Shane McEntee.

He said under the Welfare of Greyhounds Bill 2011, the premises covered would house not less than four greyhound bitches, each of which was more than 15 months old and had been or was being used for breeding. “I should make clear, however, that the scope of the Bill extends to all greyhounds in the racing and coursing industry and not only those found on a premises that is registered as a greyhound breeding establishment under the Bill,’’ he added.

Mr McEntee said Irish Coursing Club stewards already visited greyhound breeding premises to register and identify all new litters, and the Bill provided a legislative basis whereby they could become authorised welfare officers with powers of inspection and to issue notices where improvements were required. Local authorities could appoint welfare officers, and he envisaged close liaison between them and the Irish Coursing Club.

Mr McEntee said the greyhound industry sustained 11,000 full-time and part-time jobs directly and indirectly, mainly in rural communities. It accounted for an estimated €500 million funding in local economies.

Welcoming the legislation, Michael Moynihan (FF) said those involved in the greyhound industry were good at maintaining high standards of animal welfare.

“Generations of families involved in the industry would not have survived in it unless they had the best interests of the greyhound’s welfare at heart,’’ he added.