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;”.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,016 lines we hold for Chris Andrews, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 14 of 21.
“Last week, the Minister for agriculture published the results of the consultation on surgical artificial insemination. This is, as was highlighted, a barbaric practice of which most people are unaware. It is an absolutely sickening practice. The consultation opened on 18 June 2024 and closed at the end of July of that year. There were 606 submissions, with 99% of all submissions being against surgical artificial insemination. I reiterate that 99% of all submissions wanted to ban this practice, with just two people saying it is okay. Even though the Minister has known about the results of the consultation - 99% of submissions want to ban it - for 14 months, he has sat on his hands and allowed the practice of surgical artificial insemination to continue. This is really hard for me to understand.”
“Dublin City Council has claimed it is going to improve the maintenance in the flats and housing stock. Nobody believes this because when you look at the conditions people have to live with, such as overcrowding, mould, rats, faulty appliances and broken doors, there is just general neglect, and it is and has become the norm within social housing in Dublin. The suggestion that an increase in rent is going to improve that is farcical and, like I said, no one is going to believe it. The council says the increase in rent will help maintenance, but that is not a solution. It does not offer any hope for residents that will actually result in more resources on the ground. They will not see any more resources on the ground. HAP tenants who, in many cases, are already paying extortionate rents, are just going to be squeezed even tighter.”
“During last night's Dublin City Council budget meeting, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Labour Party and the Green Party voted to give social housing tenants a Christmas gift of higher rents. This is a deeply cynical, regressive move that punishes working people for the Government's unwillingness to properly fund social housing. It was opposed by Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Independent councillors. Councillor Mannix Flynn did not vote against this increase in rents just in time for Christmas. There has been a suggestion that council tenants have not had an increase in rent for years, but the reality is that their rent goes up every time their household income does. There is a rent increase every single time there is an increase in income.”
“The Irish taxpayer is being pickpocketed in order to pay for the greyhound industry and the so-called welfare. This Government and previous Governments have failed miserably on dog welfare and greyhound welfare. It is the Minister's responsibility and the buck stops with him. If he cannot see how inhumane and lacking the State is regarding the unacceptable practices that are being carried out with the permission of the Government, I just do not get it. Surgical artificial insemination is barbaric and it needs to be banned right away.”
“By not making a decision to ban surgical artificial insemination, he is effectively allowing it to go ahead. That is completely unacceptable. I do not think the vast majority of people in the public - taxpayers who are paying a huge amount of money to the tune of €20 million per year - would see that as good care for greyhounds. While I have the information here, I will also mention the rescues. There are two rescue care homes for greyhounds. In 2024 they got €291,000 from the taxpayer, from this fund, and 36 dogs were homed. That is just over €8,000 to home each dog. Somebody is robbing somebody else. I hear people talking about greyhound welfare. I do not know whose welfare they are talking about because the greyhounds are not seeing any of the welfare and that is completely unacceptable. There is no value for money.”
“For those who do not know, surgical artificial insemination is where the dog's abdomen is cut open, the uterus is removed, the semen is inserted, and the dog is sewn back up again. The dog is supposed to carry the pups through until birth while recovering from that operation. I know there are people here speaking up about greyhounds. How can anybody in this House justify that and see how that is okay to do to any dog? It has been banned for all the other dogs, so why not greyhounds? The Minister has carried out the report. He keeps saying that Government is considering it, but that has been going on for 16 months. Surgical artificial insemination is being carried out while the Minister is looking at that report. He cannot justify that barbaric practice.”
“It undermines public trust and takes advantage of the taxpayer. We are being asked to allocate €20 million based on economic figures overstated by wide margins and a traceability system that has been absolutely shambolic. This is not value for money. It is a misuse of the Irish taxpayers' funds. What is needed is an independent analysis of greyhound racing in Ireland and the implementation of genuine tracking systems of greyhounds. What we have now is an unconditional taxpayer subsidy with no demand on GRI to be accountable or transparent to the public. Until that changes, we cannot expect to see improvement in efficiency and animal welfare within the greyhound industry. I will also mention the practice of surgical artificial insemination. That is a barbaric practice. I am sure the Minister obviously knows what it is.”
“What was delivered is an exercise in deception. The system fails to track life stages, excludes illness, excludes injury and performance and disconnects dropout causes from outcomes. Hidden within the inflated figures for active greyhounds are thousands of greyhounds that have not been accounted for. When the Minister for agriculture was asked for the gross match data, GRI failed to provide him with the figures in the last term citing irrelevant technical limitations of its own system - a non-compliance with its own system. There have been nearly 10,000 suspensions in two years for non-compliance by greyhound owners. A system requiring 5,000 enforcement actions annually is not a success; it is a failure by design. The current policy of unconditional funding rewards opacity, inflates economic claims and ignores systemic welfare failures.”
“Yet, exports, supposedly the very lifeline of the industry, are absent from the report measuring its economic significance. How flawed can you get? In fact, an analysis of the costings applied in the Jim Power 2021 report showed that the vast majority of greyhounds exported to Britain are exported at a loss. What that means is that the Irish taxpayers are, in effect, subsidising British bookmakers. Explain that to me. How does that make any sense? On the issue of animal welfare, the Greyhound Racing Act 2019 promised a traceability system to track greyhounds throughout their lives. After two years, €295,000 in development plus €92,000 annually, the traceability system was launched in 2021. It was compared to the cattle tracking system and it was meant to cover all life events. That was the promise.”
“The report includes coursing litters outside GRI's remit, counts dogs in the North within its total despite GRI not operating there, and assumes racing careers of 48 months when GRI's own data shows an average of just 9.6 months. The breeding pool is overstated, mortality figures are missing and the report itself admits, in bold capitals, that all of the assumptions came from GRI. This is not independent analysis. It is GRI grading its own homework, and it is not acceptable. Yet, the report omits the most critical fact: exports. Every year - this is an astonishing figure - 6,000 greyhounds are exported to Britain, which is underpinning a €2.7 billion gambling industry. At a 2019 Oireachtas hearing, GRI's own chairman admitted that, without exports, the industry would not be financially viable.”
“I thank the Minister for coming in. We are essentially being asked today to approve €20 million in public funding for Greyhound Racing Ireland. It is very difficult to support this allocation year after year in light of the significant issues of accountability, transparency and integrity within Greyhound Racing Ireland as well as a lack of value for money for the Exchequer in propping up this industry. The Jim Power report of 2021 claims that greyhound owners contribute €117 million annually to the economy. However, the analysis, using GRI's own data, shows this figure is overstated by 239%. The real contribution is closer to €49 million, not €117 million.”
“Even more importantly, we do not encourage Irish people to stay and it easy to see why. It is because it easy for them to see a better life abroad. Dublin can be a truly great city but that will not happen until we abandon this current narrow-minded path and get serious about showcasing our history, enabling our culture and making this city a safe and affordable place that people want to live in and visit. I also congratulate Senator Wilson on his 70th birthday. It is amazing that he has got to 70. I think it is a shock to everyone as much as himself.”
“I hope we do get to that level in the future. Dublin can go toe to toe with any country in Europe in terms of its history and wealth, yet we consistently underperform in the context of the public realm. We are hollowing out everything that makes our city unique, notable, cultural or historic, in the search of easy governance and foreign investment. We do not build public benches or toilets because we say it will lead to antisocial behaviour. We do not maintain our historical sites because that does not make us any money. We do not build houses or trains because that is too expensive. We do not build new museums, cultural spaces or landmarks because that is too ambitious. We let our city fall into overpriced dereliction and still expect tourists to visit.”
“Last week, only a few weeks before the Christmas holiday season started, it was announced that there would be no Christmas market in Dublin Castle this Christmas or next Christmas. I understand the reason for this next Christmas as our Presidency of the EU will have implications for the use of Dublin Castle, but for this Christmas, it is hard to understand. This market has been around for a number of years and it is been very much enjoyed by families and individuals during the festive season. It has been a centrepiece of Christmas in Dublin city. This cancellation is a setback for Dublin, which already has an underwhelming Christmas atmosphere compared with other cities. We should be competing with the likes of Munich and Copenhagen, with their Christmas charm which draws tourists from across the world.”
“As we vote to allow additional funding for Screen Ireland, we should examine what role the State could play in fostering our arts and culture and be ambitious in our approach to supporting our film-making industry and investing in the arts in communities across the country.”
“We called for the benefits of section 481 tax relief to reach creators and performers; for a long-term replacement for the regional uplift and strategic planning to grow the sector sustainably; for quality education and training; for funding allowed under the EU’s audiovisual media services directive, such as the streaming levy, to be delivered; and for an end to the geoblocking and partitionism of our audiovisual sector. To this effect, Sinn Féin has tabled a number of legislative measures in the Dáil designed to support workers in the arts industry and to help our cultural scene to flourish. I would urge the Minister of State to support the legislation and engage with stakeholders.”
“This review should assess the working conditions and employer-employee relations in the sector and the impact of such measures on the delivery of sustainable quality employment and training for Irish workers to ensure that our film industry is both offering good jobs to workers and using its State funding efficiently. There are numerous issues holding the Irish film industry back. Sinn Féin has developed a comprehensive arts policy to address these shortcomings and enable the success of Irish film makers and artists.”
“I welcome this Bill, which seeks to allow much-needed additional funding to be provided to Screen Ireland for the development of Irish film in the years to come. I hope this Bill is the first step towards significant funding allocations to our film industry and I look forward to future debates around investing in Irish film. Given that this Bill will allow up to an additional €340 million to be invested by the State over the years into Screen Ireland, it would be wise for the Minister to conduct a review of the effect of Screen Ireland funding and supportive tax measures on increased economic activity in the film sector.”
“We need a national sports facilities strategy that works for communities and for sport in Ireland. Ireland is on the bottom of the European ladder when it comes to investment in sport, which makes Sporting Liberties' achievement even more impressive. I would like to acknowledge that. As Senator Duffy said, it would be worthwhile having the Minister in the House to look at a national sports facilities strategy.”
“Money goes to money, as they say. The sports capital programme works well for resourced clubs, but for a club in a disadvantaged community, it does not work as it should. We need a national sports facility strategy that gets facilities into communities based on need and not on how well resourced the club is. It is interesting to hear Senator Duffy support the need for a national sports facility strategy to get community sports facilities into communities where there are gaps. We all know those communities where there are gaps. They are spread throughout the country, particularly in the inner city. It is really important. The sports capital programme is good at one level, but if you do not have funding and resources and you do not have your own facility, the sports capital programme is no good to you.”
“I congratulate Sporting Liberties on securing funding for a full-sized pitch in the south-west inner city. It has taken years of immense work and commitment by volunteers there. There are 8,500 young people in the area but no playing pitches. It is mad to think that, in 2025, there is no full-sized playing pitch in a community of 47,000 people. It is also mad to think that the funding did not come from the State, but a private bank, Mediolanum. I acknowledge its contribution and say "Well done". The Liberties is one of the most disadvantaged communities in the State. The neglect is systemic. We hear the Government talk about how great the sports capital scheme is for developing sports in Ireland. Of course, it is good for those clubs that do access it, but it is only good if they have money and own a facility.”
“Uber is trying to undermine the taxi industry, the regulation of the industry and the regulator. Uber is trying to force both fixed-price fares on taxi drivers and a race to the bottom. Uber's fares are not actually fair. There is a meter system for taxis in Ireland, and Uber is trying to undermine it. There is no oversight of or transparency in respect of Uber's fixed fare. Uber cannot set the rules. It should not be allowed to set the rules and regulations. That is for the taxi regulator to do. When last I looked, Uber was not the taxi regulator. This action by Uber will lead to reduced incomes for taxi drivers. I suggest that taxi drivers delete the relevant app until the issue is resolved. The National Transport Authority needs to undertake a review of the Uber fixed-fare contract because there is clearly nothing fair about it.”
“I also support the congratulations for the Irish team on Sunday. It was incredible and gives the whole nation a lift. I also wish the under-17s. who are playing at the moment - I think the score is nil-all - the under-19s and under-21s well. I am particularly delighted for Troy Parrott who went through a difficult time and who seems to be finding himself. It is a joy to watch. When we see the joy good Irish performances do for us all, it is hard to understand why the Government has continued to underinvest in Irish sport and why it leaves us at the bottom of the European ladder of investment in sport. That is obviously disappointing, but it is not to take away from the joy the Irish team gives us. The taxi industry here is highly regulated, but Uber is trying to turn it into a jungle.”
“Why should a tenant who has been paying rent for years be deprived of a door that actually does what it is supposed to do?”
“One issue that residents, and tenants of Dublin City Council, have is that when a void is returned to use to a family or an individual, it is done up and renovated and the new tenant or tenants have a nice door that meets certain standards. It is right that they should have a proper door and they should be looked after. If, however, you are a tenant living next door to the tenant or tenants who have just moved into their new home, you could have been paying significant rent for 30 or 40 years and your door could be hanging off and could be poorly insulated and in bad condition. Yet, the council will not replace your door with a door that properly insulates the home and reduces the costs of heating it. Tenants are deeply frustrated about this.”
“It is heartbreaking for people living in the conditions that many are living in and having to wait that length of time. Every home is desperately needed, and the Government needs to act to ensure public or socially owned properties are used to their greatest benefit.”
“That is in a relatively small development. That is 79 units that could be used to house local families but which will lie empty and derelict due to the lack of funding for refurbishment until the trust can secure a grant from the State. In the middle of a housing crisis, it is scandalous that the State can allow any level of dereliction or long-term vacancy in social housing. These properties should be used to improve people's lives and prevent homelessness. We urgently need a funding mechanism that is up to the task of ending dereliction and that will cover the full cost of renovation, as well as a dedicated unit within the Department of housing to tackle vacancy and dereliction. The waiting time on the social housing list in Dublin is already over a decade. Anybody contacting me will be waiting up to ten years.”
“It often costs up to €30,000 or €40,000 to refurbish a single flat, which the council is required to pay for out of its pocket. It can then reclaim only a fraction of the total cost from the Department of housing. This does not add up in terms of Dublin City Council trying to push on and deal with voids. The Government needs to ensure the funding is there for councils that are looking to bring voids back into use a lot more quickly. The Dublin City Council's bare-bones budget can only stretch so far. Unsurprisingly, the properties that require significant investment to bring back into use are often idle for years at a time, with funding only going to the most straight-forward projects. Likewise, in the context of the Iveagh Trust on Kevin Street, an approved housing body stated earlier this year that it has 79 long-term voids.”
“We are in a housing emergency, and the Government needs to start treating this crisis with real urgency. One specific issue that is the cause of huge concern, particularly in the inner city, is the number of voids across Dublin. Public housing units lie vacant and derelict for months and often years. In October, there were 353 vacant public homes across the city awaiting refurbishment. Dozens more publicly owned properties are lying derelict, with no plan or timeframe for refurbishment. A certain level of vacancy is normal for a landlord the size of Dublin City Council - that is acknowledged - but boarded-up homes lying empty for years at a time is not a symptom of a system working as intended. The council has pennies at its disposal to get these homes back into working order.”
“Briefly, I wish the Irish under-17s well. It was nil-all ten minutes into their game. It is a good time for Irish football at the moment. Hopefully, that will continue today. Last week, the Government launched its overdue housing plan, which is not so much a new plan but a new packaging of the failed plan of the previous Government. It does not offer any meaningful changes. There is no change of course and no recognition that Fianna Fáil's and Fine Gael's unwillingness to invest in public housing and reliance on short-term solutions has resulted in a complete housing disaster. Thousands are homeless, hundreds of thousands are living in inadequate, overcrowded or overpriced conditions and an entire generation has been locked out of home ownership and financial stability.”
“If you are living in Markiewicz House, Conway Court or any of the other flat complexes around the city and have put up with tiny flats, damp, mould and rats playing with your children, why would you believe the council? Families living in council housing across the city are constantly faced with the reality of overcrowded conditions, poorly insulated homes and insufficient maintenance. Demanding more rent is an insult and it needs to be opposed. I ask that the Minister come to the House so we could debate this issue.”
“Not one person believes that the never-ending neglect and problems that council tenants have will see a penny of any rent increase that is imposed on them. If you are living in a tiny council property and it has damp, mould and a front door that has been hanging off for years, you will not believe that the council is going to do more maintenance. You simply will not believe that. It is understandable why residents would not believe it. If you are paying high rent for a home that is overcrowded and has just been flooded because of the outdated drainage systems, why would you believe that Dublin City Council is actually going to improve its maintenance? There is no evidence to suggest that it will.”
“I second the motion. Dublin City Council is planning to increase rent for its tenants. What happens in Dublin City Council will invariably be followed by local authorities across the country and in the Leader's constituency as well. Tenants of Dublin City Council are facing increases of up to 10%, 20%, 30% and 50% in their rents. This is at a time when the cost of everything is soaring. The cost of food, heating and electricity is up. Now, rents for council tenants are going to go up. Council tenants are vulnerable and many of them pay high rents in the flats and accommodation they are in. This is clearly not the time. The council has said it will use the increased income to invest in maintenance. I have raised this here many times. No one believes that will happen at all.”
“Coming up to the election, they said they would support the occupied territories Bill, yet it is nearly a year now and nothing has happened with the Bill. There has been some scrutiny of it in the committee but there is no sense that the Bill is going to be passed. That is beyond disappointing from this Government. It is something that we need to tackle. I again compliment the Minister of State on his engagement and his commitment to his brief.”
“When you see more than 150 European citizens kidnapped from international waters, you cannot help but think Israel has no respect for international law. It has proven that is the case. No one is holding it to account. There has been no end to the violence. Israel continues to terrorise Palestinians in Gaza and also in the West Bank. Day after day, there are breaches of international law. Israel is increasing the number of settlements, which are obviously illegal. It is something on which we have to hold it to account. Before the previous election, the Government parties said they were going to look at and support the passing of the occupied territories Bill. That was a shift from where they had been because the Bill had been around for many years and they had not supported it.”
“It is not going to give them any sense of the control over their own lives that is required if we are going to have a genuine peace. It is really important now more than ever that Israel is held accountable for what it has done and what it continues to do. Without accountability, Israel over the past 70 years has slowly dismantled and accelerated the dismantling of international law, the rule of law and the legal frameworks we use. Even Ursula von der Leyen has facilitated European countries stepping outside the legal framework that is there for European democracies. She has allowed countries to step outside that legal framework in order to clamp down on and smash peaceful protests across Europe.”
“More than 200 people have been killed by Israel since the so-called ceasefire, and it is still using food and water to kill and punish people. The humanitarian corridor that should have been opened years ago is still not open fully and is still being controlled by Israel. There are still F16s and F35s flying overhead, there are still walls surrounding the Gaza Strip, and there are still restrictions on people going very far out to sea. People talk about peace, and we all want to see peace for Palestinians and for everyone, but peace cannot exist unless there is justice. Peace will not last unless there is justice, human rights, equality and freedom of movement. Frankly, I do not believe Israel is going to allow Palestinians any sense of justice.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming in again. He is always very engaged and open, and that is appreciated by everybody in the House. The investment is very welcome. Ireland does overseas aid really well, and that is very important. As the Minister of State said, investment in the global south affects communities here. I am not sure how we can get that message across. It is a case of delivering that message because it is really important and it is linked. The overseas aid is so important. Last month's so-called ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas provided an opportunity for some degree of respite, but in my view, the heightened extreme genocide has just been decelerated. There is still genocide.”
“It is already one of the most significant crises in the world and has the potential to be a disaster of historic proportions. Like the Deputy Leader, I believe we need to focus on this and look to see what the EU can do to ensure the supply of arms into Sudan ends now.”
“There are reasons for that. Information and connectivity in Gaza has been a lot greater. Many of the wars and genocides currently being undertaken are David and Goliath-type genocides and wars. There is no clear, sharp narrative about what is happening. People do not have a start and an end and it has been going on for quite a while. I have spoken to a number of people from the Sudanese community. They care deeply about Gaza as well as the nightmare that they themselves are facing. They actually resent the fact that Sudan is not getting the attention and is being used as a way to invalidate support for Palestine and people in Gaza. It is important to state that. The situation is escalating by the day and the world can no longer avert its eyes and ignore what is happening.”
“I wish to raise the humanitarian disaster in Sudan which has been going on for two years. The Deputy Leader raised it yesterday. More than 12 million people have already been displaced and many millions face severe malnutrition and famine. It is an extraordinarily severe humanitarian situation. People are facing starvation and dying for lack of food and medicine while conflict carries on with no indications that the two sides, the Sudanese government and the RSF, or the respective international backers, including the UAE, are willing to engage in any sort of peace talks. I am gravely concerned for the civilians of Sudan and the inability to get humanitarian aid into the country. Many people often say to all of us that we talk about Gaza but never about Sudan. In some ways they are probably right. It has in many ways been a forgotten war.”
“This only increases the risk that the front-facing portion of the building will be left vacant and derelict, with few potential tenants likely to accept only having partial access to the property. That is a real concern. There are some proposals from local community activists about what might go into that space. It should be a central community hub for Rathmines. It could be the heart of cultural or community activities. We need to see ambitious, forward-thinking action taken by the State to ensure that this property remains in public and community use and that the long-term good of Rathmines is not left to chance or the whims of the market.”
“It is a building that cannot be replaced and if it is allowed to be sold off to a private developer, it would be a huge loss. It must and should be kept in the ownership of the State. When a post office transfers to a new location, the Government needs to ensure that the property remains open to the public by facilitating its transfer to the ownership of Dublin City Council. I know there have been discussions relating to that with local councillors, TDs and Senators. The post office building in Rathmines needs to be kept in public ownership. To sell it off would be an act of recklessness. I understand that parts of the building will continue to be used by An Post as a logistics centre to support operations in the area for up to ten years.”
“Without greater investment and a new model for service delivery, post offices will continue to shut down one by one. The post office in Rathmines is moving to a Centra close by. This is no criticism of the owner of Centra. Were it not for him, there would be no postal services in Rathmines, so it is to his credit that he is undertaking to host the services there. The problem is that a business owner can decide that carrying a post office is no longer profitable and then choose to end postal services in that community, which is what has happened a number of times in my constituency. That is happening across the country. It is a symptom of our postal network being hollowed out. The Rathmines post office could be the centre of Rathmines. It is a beautiful Art Deco building that has served the community since 1934.”
“I am not making any allegations. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I previously raised the issue of Rathmines post office being sold off, as well as the closure of the post offices in Baggot Street, Ballsbridge, Donnybrook and Kevin Street in recent years. Over the past decade in south Dublin city, a string of post offices have been closed, with no consideration for the effect on local residents. This is having a devastating impact on communities that rely on them. The record of this Government and its predecessor has been absymal. They have overseen the slow death of our postal network, as has been documented by Government Senators here replacing what are effective community centres with profit-seeking commercial ventures or nothing at all.”
“Many of the rescue centres do not get State funding but have to fundraise. They do immense work and are significantly more efficient than the greyhound racing care homes.”
“Likewise, there is a clear lack of efficiency when it comes to the greyhound industry setting up care homes for retired greyhounds and the value of the public money being spent for this purpose. I have raised this with the public accounts committee and hope this will be heard and investigated soon. In March 2021, there was a commitment that there would be four care homes set up for greyhounds by the industry but only two have been set up since then. Last year, these two care centres got €291,000 between them in funding but only managed to re-home 36 dogs. It puts the bike shelter to shame. It is up there with the bike shelter and it is to be condemned. In comparison, care dog homes set up and run by dog welfare professionals separate from the industry are able to provide for multiples more at a fraction of the cost.”
“I recognise that greyhound racing provides social and economic benefits in specific communities but it is vital that any State funding to this sector bring with it full transparency and accountability in terms of how it is spent. Recent research has revealed that hundreds of greyhounds are dying each year due to racing. In the first eight months of this year, 242 greyhounds suffered injuries at races and more than half of those were euthanised by track vets. In 2024, 202 greyhounds died on the track or shortly after, amounting to roughly 5% of all active racing greyhounds that year. This poses a serious question about how dogs are being treated during races and if their owners are genuinely concerned with their well-being as living animals or if they are solely regarded as vehicles for gaining a profit.”
“I hope this is an issue that is discussed thoroughly before this allocation is approved. There are valid concerns regarding animal welfare in the greyhound industry, particularly regarding breeding practices and humane treatment during and after races. I have raised the barbaric practice of surgical artificial insemination a number of times in the House but that is only one of the many abuses committed against greyhounds in Ireland. This is prohibited when it comes to any other type of dog. The State has a responsibility to ensure the well-being and welfare of greyhounds involved in the industry and I am deeply concerned by the lack of scrutiny given to the greyhound industry and its increasing allotment of taxpayer funding.”
“First, I acknowledge the victory by Zohran Mamdani in the mayor of New York election and congratulate him on it. It is a victory for positive, fact-based politics and is a rare light of hope in a very depressing political world. I wish him well. It is important for all of us that he is successful. I wish to address the State's continued uncritical willingness to grant Exchequer funding to Greyhound Racing Ireland in spite of rampant animal welfare abuses and a complete lack of transparency. Greyhound Racing Ireland received €19.8 million in budget 2026, bringing the total amount of taxpayers' money handed over to greyhound racing since 2001 up to €387 million. When we look at the League of Ireland, it got €3 million in one year and is expected to be grateful for it. Greyhound Racing Ireland gets €19.8 million. It is insane.”