Read on Twitter
I’ve seen comment after comment falsely claiming that the RTE Investigates: ‘Running For Their Lives’ doc 
) cannot be trusted.
Bord na gCon (now Greyhound Racing Ireland) wrote a complaint to the Broadcasting Authority after it aired.
) cannot be trusted. Bord na gCon (now Greyhound Racing Ireland) wrote a complaint to the Broadcasting Authority after it aired.
The Broadcasting Authority investigated this complaint in full and rejected it in its entirety and found instead that “the programme was a comprehensive exploration of the topic in a factual manner which was fair, objective and impartial”. More here
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/bai-rejects-complaint-by-irish-greyhound-board-over-rt%C3%A9-documentary-1.4116234
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/bai-rejects-complaint-by-irish-greyhound-board-over-rt%C3%A9-documentary-1.4116234
I’ve also seen comment after comment saying that government funding for the industry *is not* public money as it is ring-fenced from gambling levy.
It absolutely is public money. Firstly a levy is just another word for tax (does anyone NOT consider the USC tax on their income?)
It absolutely is public money. Firstly a levy is just another word for tax (does anyone NOT consider the USC tax on their income?)
and secondly, as the betting levy was decreased from 5% to 1%, and has now been raised to 2% means the fund has been topped up with “ordinary” taxpayer money almost since it was set up: see Taxation of Betting in Ireland report pages 2 & 11 here
https://assets.gov.ie/25570/56e3b53d2c8f4078bac8a60222062dd1.pdf
https://assets.gov.ie/25570/56e3b53d2c8f4078bac8a60222062dd1.pdf
I’m aware that other TDs are claiming that this motion is an “attack on rural Ireland”, that any wrongdoing in the industry is a case of a “few rogue traders” and that we need to give the industry time to reform.
The ISPCA, the largest animal welfare organisation in the country, has stopped engaging with the greyhound racing industry because they do not believe they're serious about reform. #DefundGreyhoundRacing
Rural Ireland needs sustainable jobs. Setting aside animal welfare issues for a moment (not that I believe we should for a second), the greyhound industry is loss-making and hugely unpopular with the general public. How long do these TDs believe we should keep propping it up for?
The current system essentially absolves the industry of disposing of its "waste product"(
)so they have no motivation to change the system which results in over-breeding.
They have had decades to improve standards and haven’t, yet they keep getting more money from Government.
)so they have no motivation to change the system which results in over-breeding. They have had decades to improve standards and haven’t, yet they keep getting more money from Government.
The €19.2m that the industry is set to receive is more than 6 times what ALL animal welfare organisations in Ireland will receive.
Please email your TDs here
https://action.uplift.ie/campaigns/email-your-tds-to-greyhound-industry-funding?no_area_prefill
Please share and sign the petition here
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/governments-going-to-the-dogs-give-to-the-services-in-need #DefundGreyhoundRacing
Please email your TDs here
https://action.uplift.ie/campaigns/email-your-tds-to-greyhound-industry-funding?no_area_prefill
Please share and sign the petition here
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/governments-going-to-the-dogs-give-to-the-services-in-need #DefundGreyhoundRacing
Please read this article in the Examiner: https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-40087604.html
And this op-ed I did with The Journal: https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/greyhound-racing-animal-welfare-5276198-Nov2020/?utm_source=twitter_short
