Deenihan to propose Greyhound bill in Dáil

PROPOSED legislation to set up an independent control committee for greyhound doping cases will be laid before the Dáil this week as the controversy surrounding Bord na gCon continues.

The Private Members Bill is being proposed by Fine Gael Arts, Sports and Tourism spokesman Jimmy Deenihan who, as a junior minister in the Department of Agriculture during the 1990s, was responsible for Bord na gCon.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Deputy Deenihan said measures contained in the Bill would allow for the creation of a doping control committee for greyhound racing that is completely independent of the board members and chairman of Bord na gCon.

At present Bord na gCon’s control committee includes the chairman and board members of the organisation.

Deputy Deenihan called on the Government to accept his Bill.

“It would remove the role of the chairman and board members from making any decisions on doping issues,” he said.

He also said he hoped his proposal could form part of the recommendations of Tim Dalton’s report to Sports Minister John O’Donoghue.

Mr Dalton is currently preparing an independent report for the Minister on the continuing controversy surrounding the control committee’s decision to keep secret two EPO doping test results.

That controversy was fuelled further at the weekend when Bord na gCon chairman Paschal Taggart defied a request from Minister O’Donoghue and followed through with a high profile press conference.

Minister O’Donoghue had asked Mr Taggart not to speak publicly about the scandal until Mr Dalton’s report is complete.

Deputy Deenihan said he saw nothing wrong with the move.

“I wouldn’t have directed him not to go ahead. In a democracy he’s entitled to talk. That was his own call. He felt his integrity was being threatened,” he said.