Greyhound Industry gets 13 million in budget

by micheailin Sat Oct 18, 2008 15:45 saoirse32 at fastmail dot fm

Thank you for this post. This kind of travesty cannot be exposed often enough.

by snc Sat Oct 18, 2008 23:10

great article, too right, it's unbelievable how messed up the governments priorities are. They are complaining about not having enough money to fund the health service and barely give anything to animal welfare people yet they waste millions of euro every year on two industries that only inflict cruelty on animals. whether it is the thousands of greyhounds that end up dead because they aren't fast enough or the thousands of racehorses that end up having to be put down when they are injured or end up in tins of pet food if they aren't fast enough.

by Catlady Mon Oct 20, 2008 00:29

Anyone who recognises my name here will know that I am a proud supporter of the animal rights cause. They may not be aware that I also have a deep concern for oter issues, one of which is te elderly in our society.

Since the budget was announced last week I have had many misgivings (not about the cost of my fags or wine increasing - to my mind such luxury items can be taxed to the hilt and I won't complain) but for areas such as social wefare, medical cards, education. etc being cut so drastically.

This article, like the budget, highlights the priorities of our current government. Shame on anyone who votes for them again, leaving pensioners and the disabled in abject poverty while these "sports" are so well funded.

Living on a tight budget will be a fact of life while the recession lasts, we all understand that. However, when money becomes scarce, you first feed yourself and your family, then you take care of their medical needs. You do not plan a night out at the dogs, or the races, or any other form of "entertainment" while members of your household require medical treatment or school books. Unless you have your priorities wrong in a big way that is.......

The fact that these industries are inherently cruel and wasteful of life makes the actions of the government all the more sinister on this occassion. Funnily enough, this 13 million was not mentioned on any of the radio discussions I listened to during the week. It should be as I am sure the many pensioners and their families, not to mention my friends scraping by on disability allowance, will be thrilled to hear that those who still have spare cash will be able to enjoy their night out at Shelbourne park, while they sit shivering and ill during the winter....

by Mr Alan Corcoran. Thu Oct 23, 2008 17:43

We only have to look at the Horse Racing to realize the harm being meted out to Horses .

The Sport Of Kings Should be banned once and for all , but NO , as said ''sport'' is a Money Spinner
for thousands upon thousands of Ignorant people , The Human Haters of our Government appear
more concerned with money rather than welfare of Animals or Indeed 2nd class Human Beings ,
Both of species are, in the governments agenda at least , quite easily dispensible THANK YOU,

by Fred Johnston Thu Oct 23, 2008 18:29

No one should be surprised that the greyhound industry receives bounty from the government; nor that the building industry and the banks get a hand out, while the poor and needy go scrounging and there's now every possibility that Social Welfare recipients will not receive Christmas bonuses this year (unlike many of our bankers and some high-ups in the dreadful HSE). There is a chance that, after the shock of the recent marches in Dublin, even an uncaring government would heed their flunkies in the constituencies and do something decent for a change,mindful of elections and all that. But politics is about the pursuit and maintenance of power. It is not about looking after people. It should be, of course; but remember Charlie Haughey, who threw a few extra shillings at the pensioners and then lived on the end of donations - his own type of dole, one supposes - so that he could live it up in Le Coq Hardy and throw shirts around in Charvet of Paris. There were some, particularly among the poor, who continued to revere him. We should understand that peaceful demonstrations in the streets have great force, great power, and we should begin to take back the power we've doled out to arrogant and cack-handed TDs. Our elderly and our students sent us all a message in recent days.

by Catlady Fri Oct 24, 2008 03:37

... I echo your statements. I never had faith in FF personally, never liked them, but they have served a purpose in my mind..... proof positive that politics is inherently corrpt in this country. That, as you say "politics is about the pursuit and maintenance of power. It is not about looking after people".

Incidentally, I have never trusted any politiical party. Truth is, I'd love to run myself, to actually look after people. But the fact is I would never be elected (as I wouldn't be looking out for the wealthy) and I'd probably die of frustration trying.....

Is the entire system not wrong? (corrupt is too easy a term). Why do the genuine people not run/get elected??? I think that it's because only those who want power run... and they are not the same people who care about the vulnerable in our society. Simplistic I know, but obvious I think.

I have never studied politics, but I have deep reservations about this thing we call "democracy" in Ireland.....

Meanwhile, lets keep drowning greyhounds, slicing them up, mutilating them, and being given 13 million by Cowen to do so, while our pensioners become ill and our students drop out......

The future of Ireland is in racing/animal abuse, it would seem......Proud to be Irish????
I'm certainly not at the moment.