Chris Andrews
Labour Panel · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“I want to move an amendment to No. 1 on the Order Paper, proposing an orderly winding down of the accommodation recognition payment scheme in a way that is fair and efficient. I note today is the last day of Dáil and Seanad sittings before the summer recess.”
“The Government can point to housing and claim that there are huge successes. There is only success for the wealthy, the well-off, the developers and the landlords. They are all delighted with Government policy.”
“Government will say, "Look at the positives", but there are a huge amount of challenges. You need not look any further than the housing crisis. Of course, the Government will point to an increased number of housing developments. However, those housing developments are for the very well-off.”
“We supported the development of housing on the Glass Bottle site. We worked hard to ensure to get more social housing. Unfortunately, the Government would not do that. Now it seems that the so-called "affordable housing" on the Glass Bottle site will be unaffordable.”
“I move amendment No. 14: In page 7, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “Annual report 11. The Minister shall, within the first six months of the year, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report outlining the application of this Act, providing an update on— (a) how many successful actions were brought under section 14…”
“I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “ “settlement service” means a service provided in whole or in part within a postal code or relevant occupied territory to which this Act applies;”.”
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“It is my strong desire that in a united Ireland we will have a new constitution and a right to housing centrally placed within it. Housing should not only be a commodity to be bought and sold, traded and hoarded. If we had a real republic, we would ensure our citizens lived in dignity. Access to housing is a key measure of how the State provides for its people, or not, as is the current case. I also wish to raise issues relating to the development of the Irish Glass Bottle factory site where there will soon be an influx of thousands of new residents. I very much welcome this, of course. However, it is so shortsighted of the Government to plough on with the development despite the significant infrastructural deficits – no Luas extension, no new sports facilities and no recreation centres. The parks are in darkness after 6 p.m.”
“The spending of these funds will be key to tackling the big issues of the day. In Dublin Bay South, the lack of access to housing remains the perennial number one issue. For the families I work with, it is a travesty that the Government has missed its own housing targets time after time, particularly in social housing and new build housing overall. This has real-life consequences, not just for the adults trying so hard to provide a safe and decent place for their families to grow up in, but for the countless children who understand and feel the housing stress their parents are under. It is hard to have a normal Christmas in a hotel room, and the Department of housing’s monthly homelessness reports consistently show thousands of children in emergency accommodation and hundreds of families without long-term housing solutions.”
“I welcome this debate this morning as the Oireachtas rises for the Christmas break. I understand there is a constitutional requirement for this Bill as it legislates for the financial resolutions, which include all the Estimates agreed by the Dáil this year, and Sinn Féin will be supporting it. This Bill is important to ensure the funding of the State’s public administration in 2026 and the various services funded by each Department and each agency within these Departments. It also enables the continuation of the State’s social protection programmes which many vulnerable families and individuals rely on. For many years, there was no debate on these Bills. It is welcome and important that we are now debating this particular Bill because there is a serious aspect to it.”
“You do not need to look any further than the site on Kevin Street, which has been empty and derelict for a number of years, a developer having spent millions or euro on it. That site could have been used by the State for the community and for housing. I urge that we would have a debate in the new year on the Government's approach to protecting and making the best use of our historic buildings.”
“The building should be the centrepiece of the Baggot Street area, either as affordable housing or as a community resource centre, like St. Andrew's Resource Centre on Pearse Street. Instead, it has been allowed to rot. The unfortunate reality is that the State all too often neglects our historic buildings and allows them to crumble or be torn down around us. We have seen this with Boland's Mill, O'Rahilly House in Ballsbridge and now Baggot Street hospital. Given the track record of this Government, it will more than likely be left derelict for years into the future again, showing a blatant disregard for the local community. We have a real problem with the protection of our built heritage in this country, as well as with the efficient use of State-owned sites.”
“The site is in such poor condition that massive investment would be required to bring it back into use. The Land Development Agency, LDA, has already decided that the building is not viable for affordable housing. At the height of the homelessness and affordability crises, it is hugely disappointing that a building as beautiful and historic as this one cannot be kept for public use. If the site had been maintained properly and if there had been a clear plan in place for its future use after the hospital closed in the 1980s, we would be having a completely different conversation about this facility, but that never happened. It is shocking to think that staff, management and the Government never thought of putting a plan in place to ensure it would be protected and saved.”
“I join in the Christmas wishes. I thank all the staff in the Seanad for their support and patience with me and everyone. I thank the Deputy Leader, Senator O'Loughlin, and the Leader, Senator Kyne, for their patience. A lot of patience is required. I thank everyone. I also thank the ushers, who are always very supportive and kind. While we are getting a break, it is important to remember homeless families here, in the West Bank and Gaza in Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan. I encourage people to make a small donation at some point over Christmas. I wish to raise the unfortunate reality that Baggot Street hospital is being sold on the private market instead of being used for a public or community purpose. It is an absolute scandal that this building was allowed by the HSE to stand derelict for years. It is a magnificent building.”
“I am also concerned that the Minister's reply details extensive engagements with boards, audits and governance structures but says nothing about engagement with survivors themselves. Who has spoken to survivors? Who has updated them? Who has listened to their concerns? Survivors are not footnotes; they are central stakeholders. I ask for the Minister to come to the House, debate this issue and commit to a formal survivor-centred engagement and accountability framework where serious safeguarding failures occur in independent or charitable organisations involving children.”
“It came to light because of the persistence and courage of survivors who worked tirelessly to expose these failures and ensure that survivors' voices could not be ignored. Let us be clear: independence does not mean absence of responsibility. It cannot be allowed to become a shield behind which the State retreats when safeguarding failures come to light. One of the central recommendations of Dr. Shannon's report was that the national safeguarding officer be independent, specifically to counter what he described as cultural deference within St. John Ambulance Ireland. Yet, departmental funding for that role has now ended and the same officer is being retained directly by the organisation itself. Survivors are entitled to ask how genuine independence is being protected in these circumstances.”
“I wish to raise the matter of St. John Ambulance Ireland. The Minister's written reply to survivors and my colleagues in both Houses on the implementation of Dr. Geoffrey Shannon's report is procedurally detailed but lacking in any real conviction. Throughout, we are repeatedly told that St. John Ambulance Ireland is an independent organisation outside the Department's aegis and that the State has no governance role. Survivors do not experience abuse in organisational silos. They do not distinguish between a State body, a charity or a voluntary organisation when the abuse occurs in spaces where children were meant to be safe. It is also important to acknowledge that this issue did not come to light by chance.”
“I welcome a group of students and staff from Scoil San Treasa, Mount Merrion, who are guests of Deputy Shay Brennan. They are all very welcome and I hope they are enjoying their tour. The tradition here is that students do not get any homework today. They do not have any homework today or, even better, tomorrow. I call Senator Lynch.”
“It is about ensuring that the giant multinationals are held to account, that there is transparency, that the lobbying they undertake is clear and that people are aware of what lobbying they are doing and who they are doing it with. It is disappointing that the Government is willing to engage with the pressure from these multinationals and support them.”
“I am very concerned by the level of lobbying at EU level and how decisions are all too often being made behind closed doors without any real democratic input or transparency. Those with money should not be the ones who write our laws and regulations and I find it very disappointing that the Irish Government is unwilling to stand up for workers' rights and the environment when it goes against corporate interests. It is interesting that the Minister has met Hanover Communications. Will the Minister of State clarify whether the Minister has met with ExxonMobil or Enterprise Mobility in regard to the omnibus legislation?”
“What we do not know yet is which MEPs, Commissioners and Ministers met with these lobbyists on this particular issue and whether they supported them in rolling back the rules. Did any Government Minister meet with lobbyists or representatives from ExxonMobil, Hanover Communications or Enterprise Mobility in relation to omnibus legislation? Furthermore, did the Irish Government this week support the position of these companies by voting through the deregulation in the European Council?”
“This legislation would have required large companies to tackle human rights abuses and environmental harm in their company chains and to report on their businesses' environmental impacts. They were successful in quashing these rules and the European Parliament and Council both voted this week to take the side of corporate profit over working people and the environment. All Fine Gael, Independent Ireland and most Fianna Fáil MEPs voted to take the corporate line on this, with only Sinn Féin and Luke 'Ming' Flanagan voting against. We know for a fact that these lobbies targeted Irish MEPs, the Irish Government and the Irish EU Commissioner on this issue to make sure that big business got its way.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I know he probably had a late night last night. It is interesting to hear him talk about his memories when he was young. Like myself, they must be quite hazy at this stage. Last week, the extensive lobbying efforts on behalf of several multinational giants by the consulting firm Teneo were revealed. Leaked documents showed the massive efforts these companies and their lobbyists put into gutting EU laws that would have enhanced corporate accountability. It seems pointless that the Government will come out with reports and statements on the work it is doing on the environment when it continually buckles under the pressure from multinational giants.”
“At one stage, they were morning and evening but now the traffic seems to be a hazard all day long. There are no new sports facilities or recreational amenities in the area. There are no new community spaces in place. There are no new pitches or floodlighting of the parks. Significantly, there is no Luas extension in sight despite it being promised years ago. Without proper investment, public transport to and from Ringsend will be overwhelmed by the thousands of new residents in the Glass Bottle site. The Luas extension keeps getting pushed further and further out, which is hugely disappointing to the local community. I heard one Government Deputy state recently that the Luas should be extended to Poolbeg, even though it was his party and Government that dropped the proposal in the first place.”
“I would also like to acknowledge the horror of the attacks on Bondi. Extremism, wherever it comes from, is a concern. On a positive note, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, said he did not see any rise in antisemitism here in Ireland. That is something of which we should be aware and conscious. It is something to note when the Minister says that. On another note, there is a complete lack of planning in Ringsend and Irishtown associated with the Glass Bottle site development. Residents will start moving into the development in early and mid-2026. There are no new infrastructural or traffic patterns. There is one road in and out of the development, the Sean Moore Road. The road is an absolute mess and is hazardous to residents during busy hours, which are now almost the entire day.”
“Before we proceed, I welcome the pupils and teachers of Kilberry National School, County Kildare, guests of Deputy Mark Wall. I hope they are enjoying their visit. This is a really interesting place to visit. I am told that the law is there is no homework for the rest of the day.”
“While the FAI is cutting back on community services and its involvement in community sport and grassroots football, it is spending more and more on PR. That is completely wrong. We need the Minister to come in to discuss how we manage that. The FAI is saying it is looking at player development, but the reality is that it is not looking at it. It is spending more on PR and less on grassroots football. These are important courses. If it was not for these courses, it is more than likely that those kids would be hanging around on corners. We need to invest in these sorts of projects, not cut back on them.”
“All those players are fantastic footballers and they have been great servants to Irish football. It seems that the FAI is now pulling the plug on this player development course, which is really disappointing. It only contributes 5%. It is minuscule, a tiny amount of money. When we consider that the FAI overspent by €200,000 on its budget last year, it does feel like grassroots football is paying the price for the FAI's PR moves. It feels like the FAI is turning its back on grassroots football. This is really not acceptable. We all know the FAI has its difficulties but courses like this contribute so much and they cost a minuscule amount of money. If the money from the overspend on the PR companies was put into these courses, they could continue for many more years to come.”
“The FAI and the education and training boards, ETBs, run a player development programme in Ringsend, in Cabra and five other such programmes right across the country. It is a training course and the ETBs fund the bulk of it. Because of the type of course it is, they need a partner and the FAI is that partner. In Ringsend the course has been really good for the community over many years. I know it is the same for all seven communities in which the course is based. The programme has produced some incredible League of Ireland and international players, including Seán Gannon, Daniel Kelly, Abbie Larkin who plays for Ireland, Keith Buckley, Pico Lopes and Enda Stevens. They have produced many more over the years, so it is a really important part of player development and community development.”
“I am sorry, but I did not interrupt Senator Ahearn, so he should give me the same respect, if he does not mind. A long list was read out of what still needs to be done. Fine Gael has had 14 years to do it and the party has been sitting on its hands and letting councillors in local authorities down.”
“It is interesting to hear Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Senators say what needs to be done. Senator Ahearn gave a list of what needs to be done. I remind him that he has been in government for 14 years. Why did he wait until now to do it?”
“If we fast-forward to budget 2026, €670 million was allocated to the same fund. It is clear that we are underfunding the services we desperately need at a local level and centralising spending at a local level. An OECD report in 2019 found that Ireland had the lowest level of decentralisation and local government spending relative to GDP. The Council of Europe publicly warned in 2023 that local government in Ireland was excessively centralised to the detriment of democratic representation and service delivery. Likewise, recent research conducted in Maynooth University found that Ireland's local authorities ranked well below the European average in democratic accountability, financial independence and power of initiative. It said that in many cases councils were essentially relegated to admin annexes of the national government.”
“I acknowledge the presence of Councillor Joe Malone, who does Trojan work and advocacy for local councillors. It is a well established fact that local authorities in Ireland are ineffectual. The Irish State is one of the most centralised democracies in Europe. City and county councils have not been given powers to address the issues facing their communities, much less the funding to deliver what is needed. We only have to look at the thousands of residents living in the flat complexes and people living in the inner city to recognise how local government has failed. In 2008, Phil Hogan announced the Local Government Fund allocation in budget 2009 of €1.6 billion to local authorities.”
“It is welcome that this site is expected to include hundreds of social and affordable homes after a long fight by the local community and representatives but the fact that thousands of other homes on the site will be completely inaccessible for 90% of the population is an alarming sign of the state of housing in this country. I ask the Minister to come in and debate affordability in housing.”
“You would nearly need two Senators living together just to afford a one-bedroom apartment. How does that make sense at all? How is it not a glaring sign that the housing system is completely broken? This is one of the most well known building developments in the State and it is only available for the wealthiest of the wealthy, as is the case with almost all of the recent housing developments in Dublin. The only hope someone with a low or moderate salary, or even a salary above the national average, has to find a home there is to avail of social and affordable housing schemes, which are completely inadequate to meet the huge demand from Pearse Street, Ringsend or Irishtown. Our housing system is completely broken and it is built around serving the wants of the rich with the needs of the less well-off just an afterthought.”
“I acknowledge Cara and Mark Darmody and the amazing advocacy work they do. It is inspiring for everybody here. Some 3,500 new homes are being built at the Irish Glass Bottle site in Ringsend, which is expected to house around 8,000 new residents. The first apartments are due to be occupied early next year and prospective tenants are finally being given the opportunity to view the new apartments. The vast majority of people, however, are completely priced out of this site. A one-bedroom apartment costs upwards of €2,500 per month to rent, or €625 per week. It is absolutely insane. Even with the generous salaries given to Members of this House, which are well above the average in Ireland, we would not be making enough money to rent or buy an apartment on this site.”
“It is important to have the Minister in here to debate the issues around antisemitism and what is acceptable and what sort of interference by the Government is acceptable.”
“Despite some increase in antisemitism, we are clearly not antisemitic as a country but the media and political leaders leant into this narrative to score political points. Being anti-Zionist and anti-colonialist is not antisemitic. The Government knows this and should challenge this, but it fuelled the narrative for political gain. These sort of false claims shuts down discussions rather than allowing us to critically analyse the facts. The media participated with Government Ministers in shutting down the debate. This is a dangerous precedent. It should be the people of Ireland who should decide on the naming of parks, not political interference from Government Ministers and abroad.”
“Recently, Israel's foreign minister said that the Irish Government was antisemitic and the Irish ambassador to Israel, ambassador McGuinness, was ill-informed, to which the ambassador replied: I'm glad to hear you mention the scourge of antisemitism but I would've thought that it must be carefully managed and not used for political gain. Antisemitism is a scourge and must be countered and therefore, don't you think facts are important? Ambassador McGuinness's comments could equally have been presented to the Irish media and Government Ministers. What also was deeply alarming was that Government Ministers jumped at the opportunity to accuse people of antisemitism instead of challenging the assertion that Ireland is antisemitic.”
“There is increasing antisemitic sentiment in Ireland, which is completely unacceptable. It is a cancer in society. There are so many members of the Irish Jewish community who have made such a positive impact on society and they should be celebrated. Chaim Herzog was not one of these. Israel's crimes did not start on 7 October 2023. Israel's crimes started decades before then. People can argue the merits of renaming Herzog Park, but to hear our Government Ministers refer to a man who perpetrated ethnic cleansing of 200,000 Palestinians and mass displacement of Palestinians from their homes as a good man who achieved great things is an insult to human decency. Almost all the reporting offered a distorted version of Chaim Herzog's legacy. A full and honest account must include both the positive and deeply troubling elements of his life.”
“They should not meet them in a carpark, which is what happens a lot, and it should not be cash only. That is a red flag. The animal rescue services are absolutely overwhelmed by the number of dogs and it is horrific for them. It is really important that, this Christmas, when families are going to be under real pressure to get a pup, it is important to watch for red flags, to not buy a puppy-farm pup, to adopt from a rescue and not to shop.”
“Likewise, we need further security when it comes to the sale of pets online, in the course of which there are often attempts to deceive the public on the conditions in which dogs were bred. There needs to be an information campaign rolled out, in conjunction with new legislation in this area, informing the public how to recognise a verified advertisement and to be able to know whether a dog has come from a licensed breeding establishment. Being registered does not equate to being ethical. Just because the person selling the pups is nice, that does not mean he or she is ethical. A lot of research has been done and there are clearly many red flags. It is important to warn people that they should meet the mother of the pup in their own environment.”
“Ireland has the unfortunate status of being the puppy farm capital of Europe, with a massive industry of underground breeding establishments continuously producing puppies under appalling conditions. This has all happened under the watch of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Ireland falls far short of what most dog lovers would recognise as an acceptable environment for puppies and their mothers. The breeding and sale of pets urgently demands stricter regulations to combat issues such as puppy farming and irresponsible breeding practices. I fully support the legislation introduced by the Social Democrats in the Dáil on this issue. It will make a real impact in improving animal welfare standards for dogs and end some of the cruel practices that occur on these puppy farms.”
“Every Member of these Houses has a responsibility to support this motion and to work together to achieve a better Ireland. The Irish Government is the single most important driver of unity, to hold the British Government to account regarding its obligations to hold a border poll and to shape the conversation on what the new, united Ireland will look like. Reunification is our chance to transform Ireland from north and south, east and west and to examine what it means to be an Irish person, what role the State should play in our lives and what our future republic should look like. We simply cannot afford to not embrace this opportunity and to do everything we can to secure a better future for this country.”
“We need a State that effectively delivers for everyone in this country, regardless of which county they live in. These goals simply cannot be achieved without ending the partition of this country and throwing off the shackles of history. Successive Governments in Dublin have kicked this can down the road, insisting that now is not the right time for unity. With that sort of negative, pessimistic attitude, it will simply never be the right time to move the unity conversation forward. Some sort of excuse to delay progress can always be found. It is abundantly clear that people like Micheál Martin are fundamentally against reunification or any sort of ambitious change to this country, but it is equally clear that the vast majority of people in this country believes Irish unity is our future.”
“The founding of the Free State was a step forward, but it certainly was no revolution. It is up to our generation, and the generations after us, to finally fulfil the vision for the Irish Republic and build a country we can be proud of, to succeed in delivering the Ireland of Wolfe Tone, Pádraig Pearse, James Connolly and Bobby Sands. We need an Ireland in which no person is denied a comfortable and stable home, the healthcare they need and a fair-paying job that they deserve. We need an all-island universal healthcare system, not two separate failing systems. We need a transport system and infrastructure that actually works and is not bound by an imposed Border. We need a modern, progressive constitution that enshrines a right to housing for all and respects the traditions of everyone on this island.”
“The heroes of 1916 and of the First Dáil certainly did not envision that the State led from this building would completely abandon the North to its fate while embracing the same economic policies that caused us so much harm while under British rule. The establishment of the Free State did not result in a real improvement in living standards for the ordinary worker. It did not see an end to tenements, poverty, landlordism and the oppression of the working class. It did not see the revitalisation of the Irish language and culture. It did not secure political freedom for the whole country. It did not stop the flood of emigration of our young people to England and America and elsewhere. Indeed, our population continued to decline for many decades after independence.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming in. Very few countries have the opportunity Ireland does to redefine and reinvent itself as a State and a nation. We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to correct the mistakes of the past 100 years and build a new republic that lives up to the values and ideals of our revolutionary past. The last century of partition has completely failed the people of Ireland. The North was cut off from the rest of the country and subjected to a sectarian and oppressive Orange state. Following the Civil War, the South became a conservative rump state, devoid of any ambition to actually deliver on the promises of independence.”
“In fact, two residents have had to get new washing machines because of the problem with the water supply. Uisce Éireann has said that this is not its responsibility. The council has said it has done all it can. Nothing is being done. This has been going on for weeks and residents have had to put up with it. The reality is that there is no accountability for this and neither are there solutions for the residents of Beech Hill who have to put up with it. I ask that Minister come to the House to discuss the maintenance or the lack thereof of council flats and houses.”
“The man could not even remember whether that was true, but the council said it was. The man is in his 80s. His wife passed away recently. He is in credit on his rent and is a model tenant. He has been involved in the community and local football all his life. Despite that, the council said it is not its responsibility to fix the leak. That is harsh. Families in the 54 flats in Beech Hill have a serious issue with water coming on and going off. It is there one minute and gone the next. The council insists that everything is okay, yet the water supply is constantly cut off without any warning. This means that residents cannot put on their washing machines, dishwashers or electric showers. If they are in the middle of using of a wash cycle, for example, and water supply cuts out, the engine on the machine burns out.”
“I regularly raise the ongoing maintenance issues in Dublin City Council flats and houses. In 2025, it is difficult to understand how the maintenance of council properties is so bad. There is a complete lack of empathy for tenants on the part of Dublin City Council. There are many examples of this, but one is Beech Hill Villas in Donnybrook. In most of the flats in Beech Hill, there are issues with dampness and mould. The only solution the council has provided is to supply bleach and cloths for tenants. That is not acceptable. People are going to have to pay increased rents thanks to the Government parties. One resident who has been in a flat in Beech Hill for over 40 years had a leak which the council said it would not fix because he put in a new sink when he first moved in.”
“It was said it would be done within 12 months. It has been 12 months now and there is still no sign of the occupied territories Bill being passed. There is a real concern that the Government will either not pass the occupied territories Bill or pass a watered-down version. We have to continue to keep our eyes on Gaza. We have to hear and see the people in Gaza and stand up and work for a lasting, just peace.”
“The famine, hunger and starvation is still continuing. There has been an increase in aid but nowhere near enough. All of the infrastructure that allows for healthy lives has been destroyed. There is no sign that will be addressed. Israel continues to bomb and shoot civilians. There are thousands of tonnes of aid on the border in warehouses outside of Gaza and it is not getting in. Israel is still dismantling the place. Ultimately, the US is a rogue state now. It has stepped outside international law. There is no sense there is accountability for Israel. Without accountability, there will be no justice. Without justice, there will be no long-term peace. The Irish Government needs to stay focused on it. Unfortunately, just before the last election, we thought the occupied territories Bill would be introduced and passed.”
“Last month's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas gave the impression there would be some sort of peace and order. We all support and want peace but without justice, there can be no peace. If there is not self-determination, freedom of movement, access to education and access to hospitals and health services, peace will not last very long. This is called a ceasefire and it is worrying that media attention has moved away and been drawn to other conflicts and issues in the world. The reality is there is no ceasefire in Gaza. There is no peace in Gaza. A total of 327 Gazans have been killed by Israel in the past month, 136 of whom were children. Clearly, there is no peace. Almost half of Gaza is occupied by Israel now and the rest of the population has been squeezed into the other half. The genocide continues.”
“In 2024, 6,000 Irish greyhounds were exported to England to keep the gambling industry going there and to keep it alive. Let us not pretend that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael care about dog welfare. All the evidence shows they do not care about dog and greyhound welfare.”
“Unless every single greyhound residing in a registered greyhound premises is included in the traceability system, it is not fit for purpose. We have seen where Irish-born greyhounds brought back to Ireland for breeding are not captured in the system, yet the pups they produce are. Imagine if the bovine traceability system were this ineffectual. It would never be tolerated. Yet when it comes to greyhounds, we turn a blind eye. The Minister is saying the findings will be part of a legislative process. This will mean more delays, and possibly years of delays, before this barbaric practice would be banned. It cannot be allowed to happen. In 2024, 5% of all greyhounds died on the track or shortly afterwards. That is a shameful stain on the Government’s policy in terms of dog and animal welfare policy.”
“The Government talks about the welfare of greyhounds, but there is zero evidence that it cares about greyhounds, or dogs in general for that matter. I would like to know when the ban is going to be introduced. There is clearly next to zero support among the Irish public. You have to ask yourself why the Minister will not ban this practice now. It is clear that the only requirement demanded of the greyhound industry is that the €20 million in funding it receives every year is spent. There is no accountability or expectation of be value for money. This is obvious when comparing what is achieved by Irish local rescues versus the industry rehoming costs. The industry's much-lauded traceability system is a sham.”