The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has expressed its
shock and disappointment at the decision of Failte Ireland and Tourism
Ireland to suspend the promotion of greyhound racing to the national and
international tourism market.
Greyhound racing is a national sport and is a
legitimate and important industry which people are entitled to
participate in and enjoy. The tourism market is an important demographic
for the industry and supports both direct and indirect
employment within and outside of the greyhound community.
Over half a million people visited greyhound stadia
across the country last year, with approximately 30,000 of these coming
from overseas. The IGB’s website is now available to read in over 65
languages, with the European tourist market
in particular being an integral part of the business of the IGB. The
industry has a nationwide economic impact of €300 million with over
12,000 people deriving economic benefit from the Irish greyhound
industry.
The IGB has in recent days engaged directly with
Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland and is making a detailed submission
on the activities of the IGB in the area of care and welfare of the
greyhound. Significant progress continues to be
made under the areas of welfare and regulation as per the IGB’s
Strategic Plan 2018-2022, along with the signing into law of the
Greyhound Racing Act 2019 in May, which gives us the tools to progress
our industry within a modern framework with the welfare
of the racing greyhound at its core.
The matter has also been taken up at national level with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
