O’Sullivan looks back with pride
O’Sullivan admits to having mixed feelings as he retires, as promised, after five years at the helm.
“There’s no point in denying it, I will miss the IGB job but at the same time I will be quite relieved as it has been a hectic five years mixing the two roles.” (Dick is also general manager of Punchestown racecourse).
O’Sullivan admits he has learned a lot in his time as chairman, but adds: “we have achieved quite a lot in that time also. We set out to try to get our team into a commercially orientated operation and that is happening. We took control out of the hands of the board and that was another step forward while I am quite happy that we got the Greyhound Welfare Bill through without too much damage.”
Dick never intended his chairmanship to be a long-term affair. “I have always felt that four or five years is long enough for anybody in this job and the time is now ripe for me to get the hell out of it. The Tote revenue is going well considering the challenging times we are in and people have to realise that cuts had to be made to ensure survival because only the most successful businesses are going to survive in the current climate.”
Probably the most significant development under his stewardship was the opening of the splendid Limerick Stadium and Dick admits to being “very proud” of the stadium. “It is going well and the Limerick people appreciate and are supporting it. I am also proud that we had no major legal case in the five years. That is the greatest waste of money and it is imperative to keep out of that stuff.”
His final role as chairman was to meet a Chinese delegation which visited Ireland last week to study the operation of the greyhound industry here with a view to opening tracks in China. Dick admits to being impressed by them and says, jokingly: “If I was 20 years younger I would love to take on that project.”
