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A BAN ON greyhound racing will come into force “as soon as practicably possible” in Wales, resulting in renewed calls for a ban in Ireland.
Huw Irranca-Davies, the deputy First Minister, made the announcement in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay on Tuesday.
Once in place, Wales will be the first part of the UK to implement a ban on the sport.
However, no date for implementation has been announced, with the minister saying there was work to do to avoid unintended consequences.
The push to ban greyhound racing in Wales garnered cross-party support and comes after a petition against the sport attracted 35,000 signatures.
New Zealand announced similar plans in December, and the ban won’t come into force until August 2026 to allow those affected to transition into new work.
“It’s very welcome and clearly the clock is now ticking for greyhound racing,” People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy told The Journal.
The deputy said that the industry’s own figures reported that 133 dogs died on the tracks last year, an average of 11 dogs every month.
However, statistics obtained from Irish Council Against Blood Sports show that 202 greyhounds died at races in Ireland last year – a record number of deaths at tracks in a single year.
Murphy noted that following the decision of Wales, there are “few countries around the world that still allow greyhound racing”.
In addition to Ireland, greyhound racing is also legal in other parts of the UK, as well as the US, Australia, Mexico and Vietnam.
However, the US only has two operational tracks, both of which are in West Virginia, while there are no operational racing tracks in Mexico or Vietnam.
“It highlights that the tide of progress is towards banning greyhound racing,” said Murphy, “but we need to keep the pressure up in Ireland to do something similar.”
“Over 100 greyhounds die on the tracks every year in Ireland, and more die off the tracks, including being killed because they’re not fast enough.”
And in 2019, an RTÉ investigation found that almost 6,000 greyhounds were killed for not racing fast enough in 2017.
“It is an inherently cruel, so-called sport,” said Murphy.
Murphy noted that parties such as his have “focused our fire on calling for an end to the massive public subsidy to greyhound racing”.
In November, the Dáil approved nearly €20 million in funding for greyhound racing industry.
“Without that subsidy, greyhound racing would not exist in Ireland, it would not be able to survive,” said Murphy.
“The public is paying €20m a year for this animal cruelty to continue and that subsidy should be ended immediately.”
He said the funding could be “diverted to grassroots sports that involve a significant number of people and it would really go a long way elsewhere”.
However, Murphy added that it’s “essential that there is a just transition, and those involved in the greyhound industry need to be assured of a decent job elsewhere, not connected to this cruel industry”.
“Some of this money needs to be used to ensure a just transition,” said Murphy, “but it would leave a significant amount of money left over to real grassroots sports.”
In a post on X, Hefin David, Labour member of the Senedd, raised concerns about what will happen with the land on which there is a greyhound track in his area.
Murphy told The Journal that there would need to be a “discussion in the community about what’s the best thing to do with these sites”.
“Ideally, they would be turned into some sort of public recreation spaces, such as parks or football pitches, things that enable a greater number of people to enjoy what should really be public space.
“But I think that’s probably a case-by-case issue as to what is most appropriate.”
Meanwhile, the former Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, claimed that “there will be illicit greyhound racing going on once you shut the licensed track”.
However, Murphy said such illicit racing wouldn’t be feasible.
“You need to have a track and for it to make sense financially, you need to have quite a lot of patrons coming in – or get a bunch of state money, and if it was illegal, they wouldn’t be getting state money.
“Of course, we need to ensure there isn’t illicit racing, but I don’t see why it would be a significant issue, and I haven’t heard of that being an issue in other countries that have gotten rid of greyhound racing.”
Murphy added: “Without the public subsidy, greyhound racing in Ireland disappears.
“So if there’s no public subsidy, there is not enough of a market for illegal, underground greyhound racing to exist.”
-With additional reporting from Press Association
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“The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said today that it had evidence that Russian troops had summarily executed at least 77 detained civilians.”
Would the Orwell road mob like to comment without deflection or whataboutery?
@Killian O’Sullivan: I’ll comment on that. It means it is business as usual for Russia. No coup, no dent in Putin’s reputation.
@Killian O’Sullivan: It’s terrible and hopefully those who carried out this horrible act get the proper punishment. But I read the same report. What’s your opinion on the evidence they have of the Ukrainian forces are also illegally detaining civilians though on a smaller scale than the Russians?
@Roy Dowling: He will reply once he finishes drinking his da’s bathwater.
@Roy Dowling: TBH, illegally detaining someone is preferable to summary execution. There are no saints in this conflict but one side is fighting for its survival while the other one is executing one mans imperial ambition.
@Killian O’Sullivan: NO WHATABOUTERY OR DEFELECTION. And bejaziz you drank that bath water fast.
@Killian O’Sullivan: I’m sure those who are being detained and kept away from their families will be grateful that you think that’s preferable for them. It’s unbelievable how people are happy to keep turning blind eye to the wrongdoing of the Ukrainian forces.
@Killian O’Sullivan: Every war and conflict has heinous crimes carried out by all those involved.
There are without doubt, awful acts being carried out by both the Russia and Ukrainian combatants, most of which will never see the light of day, much less have anyone held to account.
This is why diplomacy is always preferable to conflict, because once the conflict begins, the darkest depths of those involved comes to the surface as a survival mechanism, killing and torture of enemy combatants becomes normalised, all threats are there to be neutralised and any rules of engagement fade out of existence in practice, it’s you and your squad fighting for each other.
@Roy Dowling: ah Roy I see your two remaining brain cells are refusing to communicate again ,
Putin’s a gas man altogether. Thanking the Russian military for saving the day. By all accounts, they either stood aside or ran away for the most part. Can’t be terribly reliable if he had to send for a Chechen warlord and his hired killers to deal with the situation.
@Paul Shepherd: and they didn’t even show up, got stuck in a traffic jam and stood around taking pictures for social media.
@Paul Shepherd: yep , id be curios what he says if there was another attempt – somehow doubt he be saying the russian military “showing great restaint “
He should avoid open windows.
Russia is a complete joke. It’s funny to watch this supposedly big military country get threatened by the mercenaries that gave them the few victories they claimed.
@Russia is a total Joke: ‘ Few victories ‘. No need for NATO involvement so. Absolutely no threat against EU.
So, by saying Russia fully funded and controlled them, he’s admitting de facto involvement of Russia in Syria, Mali, Lybia, Sudan, Mozambique etc?
@mcleixlip: This. 100% correct. The war crimes, massacres and all the atrocities.
@mcleixlip: RED ALERT!!!! BETTER START CARING SYRIA ETC. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
@Paul Furey: Wagner/Putin involvement in Africa is well known as are the reasons for it (personal gain, natural resources). Lavrov made a statement earlier today directly stating the case.
@honey badger: and the gems they are stealing to support putins massacres.
They should have continued! They are all as good as dead now! Putin also in trouble, will have a health issue and step down shortly.
@Toby: Ah back to the health issues narrative now. He’s probably the healthiest bloke in Russia. What happened to that stroke he had a few months ago?
@Luma plex: They removed half his brain and now he doesn’t know that Ukraine is an independent country.
@Killian O’Sullivan: Any evidence to back that up?
@Killian O’Sullivan: can the journal not remove these fake Putin accounts , William of many names now spouting his shit all over these articles at least des has some sort of sense but William is mad as a March hare .
@Pat Ryan: ‘ Fake Putin Accounts ‘ = People who disagree with you. Cop on
@Luma plex: which Putin are we medically talking about. Last I heard, he had 3 double ringers popping their heads up for him in different placed. Maybe it was 1 of them that had a dickey heart
@Luma plex: your a fake account you comes on here every article under a different name . Putin must be paying good overtime comrade . Slava Ukraine
The Russian terrorist state diversifying into being a mafia state run by warlords. I fully expect Prigozhin to be bumped off by August. Famously paranoid psychopath Putin has been turned into a global laughing stock who exports his humiliation.
@honey badger: Nobody is laughing at Putin. In fact, you could say, there is people who don’t like the man. Personally, I think he’s living legend.
@Luma plex: In case you missed it in your rush to deflect for the lunatic, here’s my comment again:
The Russian terrorist state diversifying into being a mafia state run by warlords. I fully expect Prigozhin to be bumped off by August. Famously paranoid psychopath Putin has been turned into a global laughing stock who exports his humiliation.
@honey badger: And I said nobody is laughing at Putin. In fact, you could say, there is people who don’t like the man. Personally, I think he’s living legend.
@honey badger: Ah Vlad there you are. Glad you are okay. When you were not the first to comment I thought the Russians had broken through your defences and seized control of your device and ended your participation in this war. Thankfully though you’re safe and well and your struggle continues.
@Luma plex: a living legend? You must idolised the dead of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao, Mussolini etc….
@Paul Furey: Yes I do. Is that against the law?
Now they can justify attacking from Belarus
@Appaddy: Now they can justify taking over Belarus. Another chess piece moves into place. Why are we all so stooopid…
The Putin fluffers must be getting very dizzy flitting around typing absolute monkey chatter under every comment. Let’s all enjoy it and laugh at them :)
@honey badger: We just love being right 365 days a year and twice and Sunday. Last time you were right you had your indicator on.
@Luma plex: QED.
Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said they the Russians are losing 200 troops a day…and an ongoing mismanagement of equipment made by the hierarchy.
@Paul Maguire: Yeah, when you put it like that Zelensky should be done for war crimes. 200 a day is excessive.
This makes me sad. :(
I was hoping for a Putin-free Russia.
@Todd Hebert: I met you in The Sugar Club in January.
@Notmyireland He saw and knew more than you anyway.
@Eric Gaffney: You are a turd Eric, just like Paul.
@Russia is a total Joke: You are clearly Zelensky Bot. Try harder.
@Eric Gaffney: have you evidence behind such a statement?
The name says is all
@Lumex and Paul are russian rats: for clarity…he means fake maga-type me.
@Paul Furey: You’ve been very quiet today hun, are you okay?
I wonder will Prigozhin have a house as big as my semi detached house in Malahide? That’s right people, I am north Dublin, but the snobbery part. Accept me as one of your own.
@Alan B: Are you coming onto me?
@Paul Furey: I don’t live in Malahide. Your stalking is failing you, William.
The whole saga seems fishy to me. Haven’t seen any photo or video evidence at all. No casualties reported in a “revolt”. No mention of the Wagner operations in Africa.
What sensible Russian would accept “exile” in Belarus ?
Still, it did give us a bit of cheer for the first couple of days.
Can the wall be put back up and just leave them too it
@had the same problem with them here: Keep your back to the wall around me hun xx
I hate mosquitoes more than anything else in this world. I will Ask God when the time comes what exactly was the point of these creatures, apart from torturing innocent animals.
What : whether it’s evolution or creation or whatever ; is the reason for mosquitoes ???
That’s what I’d like to know ..
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