Four of Ireland's sixteen licenced greyhound tracks are set to close after an independent review of the future of the greyhound racing industry.

The Irish Greyhound Board has expressed “regret” at the decision to cease funding for their stadia in Enniscorthy, Lifford, Longford, and Youghal.

No serious issues relating to greyhound welfare have been reported by the public since a hotline was set up following a documentary criticising the industry

A decision by RTÉ to show the Irish Greyhound Derby last month was taken after Bord na gCon asserted that the broadcaster was legally bound to televise the event, internal documents reveal.

A greyhound owned by a syndicate of Fine Gael politicians is at the centre of a controversy concerning an alleged breach of animal welfare legislation, which has resulted in a fine being imposed by the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB).

The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has complained to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland about an RTÉ Investigates documentary, which reported that 6,000 dogs are culled every year due to excessive breeding.

The Irish Greyhound Board says five cases are currently under investigation following calls to its care line.

Half of all Irish Greyhound Board sponsorship funds will now be ringfenced for a ‘care fund’ established for the wellbeing of greyhounds.

The chief executive of the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has admitted the organisation faces a “huge challenge” to repair its reputation in the wake of the damaging findings broadcast in an RTÉ documentary.

New “care centres” for old and injured greyhounds must have facilities for other animals.

The Irish Greyhound Board has ended its relationships with the Rose Of Tralee Festival after alleged threats against competitors.

The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has launched a confidential phone line which will take calls from members of the public who have concerns for the welfare of greyhounds.

Barry’s Tea has formally withdrawn its local sponsorship of an annual greyhound race in the wake of last week’s RTÉ Investigates documentary on the sport in Ireland.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Andrew Doyle, has said that there will be an immediate review of the issuing of licences for knackeries.

A team of economic consultants has been appointed by the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) to examine the financial sustainability of its 16 licenced stadiums around the country.

Racegoers will have to be up at the crack of dawn, quite literally.

"The welfare of greyhounds comes first in all operational decisions."

The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) yesterday released an interim 2017 statement which provides an overview of the financial position and highlights the impact of Shelbourne Park’s 22 week closure.

A champion greyhound, which failed three drugs tests last year, is in the running for the industry’s top dog award.

Shelbourne Park is set to undergo a €3m revamp.

The controversial €23m sale of Harold’s Cross greyhound stadium that would wipe out the Irish Greyhound Board’s debts may take another six months to be finalised.

The number of fines issued for breaches of greyhound welfare legislation has more than doubled in a year.

A total of 139 greyhounds were put down last year after suffering serious racetrack injuries.

A greyhound owner has brought a legal challenge to the withholding of €36,500 in race prize money after he was fined for allegedly doping/contamination of three of his dogs.

The horse and greyhound racing industries have banned the long-standing practice of allowing under-age on-track gambling.

Within the four minutes before a greyhound race started, there were 72 bets on the race placed in betting shops around the country.

The €23m the Department of Education plans to pay for the Harold’s Cross greyhound stadium in Dublin could be well over twice its market value, a TD and auctioneer claims.

Shelbourne Park continues to be deprived of racing, as news of the sale of Harold’s Cross, and unconfirmed rumours that an industry currently in debt to the tune of more than €20m could be set to continue debt-free, has failed to raise the spirits of protestors, who mourn the loss of an historic stadium and despise the manner in which it was whipped from under their feet.

The multi-million euro sale of the iconic Harold’s Cross greyhound racing stadium took place this week without any tendering process and without any attempt to seek bids on the open market.

A “most unusual” case in which a greyhound was doped “by an unidentified person” has been referred to gardaí by the Irish Greyhound Board.

Problems in the Irish greyhound industry have been laid bare by a special review which has outlined a catalogue of concerns over anti-doping measures and claims of “ongoing reputational damage”.

It has been an up-and-down week in greyhound racing, the obvious positive being the end to the saga over a deal with SIS to show live pictures from Mullingar, Youghal and Tralee.

Following a meeting between the greyhound industry, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and welfare members of the International Greyhound Forum (represented by Dogs Trust and the ISPCA), it was re-iterated that the well-being of greyhounds, including their physical and social environment, is at the core of Ireland’s greyhound industry.

Some interesting views on the recent announcement from the IGB that they would be investing €700,000 across a range of initiatives to the sport.

A total of 58 samples taken from greyhounds in competition around the country last year were positive for doping, although that number represents just over 1% of all samples taken in 2015.

Attendance at greyhound meetings continued to decline last year at a time when the industry faced criticism over its corporate governance, doping controls, and animal-welfare sanctions.

An estimated €100,000 spent by the Irish Greyhound Board on a bad bend on a greyhound race-track has significantly reduced race collisions at the location.

The chief executive of the Irish Greyhound Board has warned that the body cannot keep funding tracks which are not giving a return on money spent.