Parliamentary Questions April 2022
Click on the PQ number below to skip to the Question & Reply below.
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of times the period of use of frozen semen of a dead canine sire has been varied in consultation with a club under S.I. No. 561/2005 - Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds Regulations, 2005, Regulation 14(7); and the variation and the club involved.
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds injured and killed at Irish greyhound tracks from 1 January to 31 December 2021; if he will include all deaths and injuries during racing, sales trials, official trials and unofficial trials; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if defibrillators are installed in all offices and buildings accessible by the public in his department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the total value of consultancy contracts awarded to an organisation (details supplied) for work with his department and bodies under auspices of his department in each of the years 2017 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Details Supplied McKinsey & Company
PQ No: 18456/22
Question:
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of times the period of use of frozen semen of a dead canine sire has been varied in consultation with a club under S.I. No. 561/2005 - Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds Regulations, 2005, Regulation 14(7); and the variation and the club involved.
Answer:
By way of background to these matters the Irish Greyhound Board introduced regulation in 2005 specifically governing the practice of Artificial Insemination the Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds Regulations, SI 561 of 2005. These regulations set out in detail the rules governing the practice of artificial insemination and whose remit it is to do so. A copy of these Regulations is attached for ease of reference The Boards Remit in these regulations is chiefly the issue of licences on an annual basis on appropriate recommendation from The Irish Coursing Club, who as you will be aware are Keepers of the Irish Greyhound Stud Book. The legislation covers how and where semen (domestic or imported) may be collected, stored, and covers additionally ancillary regulatory provisions under a raft of Headings. It is important to note that whilst GRI issue the licences on an annual basis, it is the Irish Coursing Club who have the regulatory responsibility to maintain all relevant records relating to the satisfaction of compliance of the regulations relating to the above headings. This includes the number and type of mating’s carried out and subsequently registered by them. In essence they are the operators of the regulatory provisions set out in the Regulations. I am aware that the ICC publish metrics on mating’s and litters declared on a periodical basis and I attach a copy of such a publication which identifies whether the mating was carried out by Frozen Semen Implant (FSI) or Artificial Insemination (AI). Finally, the regulations were amended in 2014 by the Artificial Insemination of Greyhounds (Amendment) Regulations SI 494 of 2014, which effectively removed the period of use for semen drawn more than 2 years the death of a Stud (copy attached)
PQ No: 17592/22
Question:
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the number of staff who are presently absent from work on full pay due to suspension or workplace disputes in his Department and in agencies and public bodies within his area of responsibility; the number who have been absent from work for up to three, three to six, six to twelve and over twelve months in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter
Answer:
In response to your recent PQ, , Rásaíocht Con Éireann has zero employees presently absent from work on full pay due to suspension or workplace disputes from work for up to three, three to six, six to twelve and over twelve months
PQ No: 19164/22
Question:
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine if defibrillators are installed in all offices and buildings accessible by the public in his department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Answer:
Rásaíocht Con Éireann has defibrillators installed at all greyhound stadia that are directly under its responsibility.
PQ No: 19183/22
Question:
To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine the total value of consultancy contracts awarded to an organisation (details supplied) for work with his department and bodies under auspices of his department in each of the years 2017 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Details Supplied McKinsey & Company
Answer:
Nil contracts have been awarded to the aforementioned consultancy firm McKinsey & Company