Irish Greyhound Racing faces a tough couple of days as the RTÉ Investigates team prepares to air an investigation into overbreeding which is reported to include a number of distressing scenes.

The Irish Greyhound Board was asked to provide a representative for an on-camera interview covering a wide range of subjects across the industry but it chose instead to provide detailed written answers “due to any potential editing process misconstruing or misrepresenting any information provided verbally.”

In a statement issued in advance of the programme the Irish Greyhound Board said “It is understood that a particular focus of the broadcast will centre on a business model analysis that was presented to the IGB by Preferred Results Ltd. The final report which was classified by Preferred Results Ltd. as ‘commercially sensitive’ was received by the IGB at end of September 2017.”

The Irish Greyhound Board has released 65 pages of the 93 in the report including the chapters on which tonight’s programme is based.

“The Preferred Results report concentrated on a dog pool analysis relating to the years 2013/2014/2015,” continued the statement.

“The dog pool analysis did not accord with what was clearly visible in the industry at the time the report was presented to the IGB in late September 2017. There has been some increase in dog pools since that time arising from the efforts of the IGB through incentive schemes to reduce the number of Irish bred greyhounds being exported to the UK.”

“The introduction of SIS meetings at Irish greyhound tracks since mid-2016, along with a number of extra race meetings, the introduction of ‘veteran’ races (as per the IGB’s Strategic Plan 2018-22 ) and the amending of the National Grading System to facilitate the grading and racing of novice greyhounds, has resulted in the retention of dogs in the dog pool and a reduction in the number of greyhounds being exported to the UK. Registrations with GBGB for Q1 in 2019 would indicate that the registration of Irish greyhounds is down around 4 per cent on the same period in 2018.”

“The IGB has consistently promoted the introduction of a traceability system so that more accurate accounting for dogs can be put in place. The IGB is pleased that the provision for a traceability system for greyhounds has been included in the Greyhound Racing Act 2019.”

“On rehoming, the IGB, through its established entity the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (IRGT) secured 1,021 rehomings in 2018 through its direct efforts and through IRGT-assisted rehomings. It is an objective of the Strategic Plan 2018-2022 to ‘rehome an ever greater percentage of retired greyhounds… with the ultimate aim of almost total rehoming’.”

“Many positive stories have been published in local and national press (including RTE itself) in the last number of months. While the potential negative publicity from this programme may prove to be a setback in that regard, it emphasises the focus that all in the Irish greyhound industry need to have on ensuring the good, positive stories are told so as to continue to enhance the public perception of our industry which has improved in recent times.”

The pre-publicity for the programme indicates it will make for uncomfortable viewing. The hope is that whatever emerges on screen will already have been dealt with satisfactorily.

Greyhound Racing is a major sport, particularly in rural Ireland, supporting over 5,000 jobs according to a November 2017 Report by economist Jim Power.

It has an economic impact of €171 million and it has to be hoped that recognition of welfare issues that resulted in this year’s new legislation will have removed many of the issues that the programme may highlight.

514,546 people attended Greyhound Racing events in 2017, despite strike action closing down the premier venue Shelbourne Park in Dublin for four months at the start of the year. It provides a major fundraising opportunity for charities and sports clubs.

RTÉ itself broadcasts the Semi-Finals and Final of the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby in September each year.

The reaction of the public, media and politicians to tonight’s programme will need to be monitored carefully.