Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
907. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine given that approximately €19.8 million in public funding is allocated annually to the greyhound sector, the measures that are in place to ensure transparency and independent oversight of greyhound welfare, including public access to traceability data on the lifecycle and outcomes of registered greyhounds. [39567/26]
View answerRásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body established under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The horse and greyhound racing industries receive financial support from the State through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund, under Section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001. Funding provided to RCÉ is subject to conditions set out by my Department in an annual parameters letter including the requirement that 10% of the Fund allocation is ringfenced for welfare matters.
RCÉ operates the Rásaíocht Con Éireann Traceability System (RCÉTS) which monitors racing greyhounds through all life stages. At the end of quarter 1 2026, 64,486 greyhounds were recorded on the system. This data is continuously being updated. The system is currently being further enhanced to expand functionality, including the recording of microchip scanning, health checks, vaccination records, medical history and reporting of offences under the Greyhound Racing Act 2019.
RCÉ is required to submit a quarterly Care and Welfare progress report to my Department to ensure compliance with the welfare standards as stipulated in the annual parameters letter. In addition, greyhound welfare is a standing agenda item on all governance meetings held between my Department and RCÉ.
Continued funding to RCÉ from my Department remains strictly contingent on the implementation of animal welfare measures.
