ANIMAL NEWS IRELAND

Greyhound racing will continue in Ireland.

Responding to a Dáil question, Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said he does not intend to ban greyhound racing.

Ruth Coppinger, Solidarity TD, has raised the issue of how the Department’s animal welfare strategy is progressing and referenced the intention of the Welsh and Scottish government to ban greyhound racing

She said, “I draw his attention to the fact that two countries, Wales and Scotland, have this week banned greyhound racing. Ireland is now going to be a complete and utter outlier. In banning it in Scotland, it will be an offence to set up a racetrack or for a dog owner to race a dog on one. The proponent of the motion said greyhound racing belonged in the past. The international consensus is to ban it. In Wales, it will come into force by 2030. Is it not time for us to transition out of greyhound racing?”