Greyhound racing could not survive in Ireland without State subsidy, a group calling for an end to the practice has argued. 

Earlier this month, the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments both announced bans on greyhound racing. 

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has said the Government has no intention of doing likewise. 

However, Greyhound Action Ireland spokesperson Nuala Donlon said cutting State funding would have a similar impact. 

“We wouldn't need a ban on greyhound racing here if it wasn't heavily State funded to the tune of €20 million every year,” she argued on The Claire Byrne Show. 

“And we would be arguing that that should be phased out and proper provision should be made for anybody working in the industry.”

Greyhound racing. Picture by: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images.

Ms Donlon continued that she remains especially concerned about the welfare of the dogs, noting many of them sustain serious injuries every year from injuries sustained while racing . 

“The real welfare problem in Irish greyhound racing - and it's the one they can't get away from - is the killing of thousands of young, otherwise healthy dogs every year,” she said. 

“Because they are no longer useful to the industry.

“We have been tracking the cohort of dogs born in 2021; there were 12,000 dogs born on the island of Ireland that year.

“7,500 remain here; these are all racing greyhounds, 70% are dead or unaccounted for.”

Greyhound racing. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Also on the programme, Irish Greyhound Owners & Breeders Federation Chairman Damian Matthews argued that the figures reflect that many dogs are sold to owners in the United Kingdom, not that they have been killed or euthanised. 

“There's loads of greyhounds in Ireland racing over four years old,” he said. 

“The facts are on the identity cards, they're on the programmes. 

“Every dog programme that's run, the date of birth of every dog is on it.

“And the amount of dogs that are over four that are racing on racing day and daily is massive.” 

Main image: Greyhound racing. Picture by: Alamy.com/Slavek Ruta via ZUMA Wire.