A statement released by the Irish Greyhound Board on Wednesday has done little to build bridges with the group protesting the closure of Harolds Cross. Indeed former chairman Paschal Taggart was incandescent at what he describes as the ‘absolute lies, misrepresentation and re-writing of history’. Here is Taggart’s full response to the Board’s statement.

 

My goodness, there is certainly a lot of invective, stupidity and lies in today’s Board statement. I am not going to deal with every point just a few for now.
There is really only one factor in considering whether the greyhound industry, or indeed the horse industry, is looking after its participants, that is prize money.
IGB prize money 2007 €12.6 m
IGB prize money 2016 €8.00 m
HRI prize money 2007 €60.4 m
HRI prize money 2017 €60.5 m
No wonder the poor dog owner and trainer is almost skint.
Yes we invested in PRIVATE tracks. Dundalk, Lifford,Mullingar, Thurles, Newbridge. The owners of these tracks were financially mad to even let us make our investment to keep them open. They, at the time and today, would have been far better off selling off their assets and putting their money in their pocket. It was their passion for greyhound racing that made them make this sacrifice. Lifford and Dundalk also invested millions of their own money. Now they are being treated like rubbish.
Now for the BIG LIE.
The Meelick site was purchased for nearly a million, not before extensive planning and engineering assessments were carried out at a cost. Michael Field, Michael Foley will verify this. On balance, they and all the Board, thought the site had massive potential. At the entrance to the new motorway bridge, and of course servicing both Limerick and Clare.
Dick O’Sullivan and his Board then overpaid for the site at the Green Park and overpaid for the fill.
However, the Board were then offered €1.7 million for the Meelick site which they turned down. This decision was minuted and can be verified under oath by Michael Foley. I have never been able to get a copy of the minute even under FOI.
I just cannot believe that the DGOBA just want their own little club and their own little club house. These people spend fortunes, of their spendable income, on rearing and racing their greyhounds. They spend more money on the tote than half a dozen country tracks. Taking everything into account, despite being starved of marketing euros, they are the most profitable track in the country. What could they contribute with their new and innovative business plan.
I am getting really sick and tired with the statement that the Minister supports the Board who support the Indecon Report to close Harold’s Cross.
Yes I agree that the continued closure of Harold’s Cross and Shelbourne could be fatal for the whole greyhound Industry.
Let’s do a bit of forecasting.
8 weeks closed this week.
Another 4 weeks to get the appropriate title right.
Another 8 weeks to get to a final purchaser.
Another 10 weeks for the solicitors to finally exchange contracts. Some developers have been known to find reasons to extend these deadlines.
We are now up to 30 weeks, by my maths that is over half a year.
Then we have the 64 million dollar question. Will the little club men and women call off their picket, and if not will all owners and trainers pass the picket. Serious question, could be an even more serious answer.
What is happening to the greyhound racing brand while all this is going on. Down the toilet. What is happening to IGB finances whilst this is going on, down the toilet. What is happening to breeding and the dog pool while this is going on. Reducing dramatically never to recover when it’s most profitable track has been sold off. You might wonder why I keep referring to Harold’s Croos as the most profitable track. Shelbourne Park generates more income and profit but pays out more than four times the prize money.
POSSIBLE SOLUTION to avoid disaster.
The Minister for Agriculure, the Junior Minister for Agriculture, all the Board members and it’s acting CEO get together in the same room as representatives of all sections of the greyhound industry under the Chairmanship of Ciaran Mulvey and try and resolve this very serious matter. By the way not mediation. We have to see the whites of each other’s eyes and go through what will be for all a very testing time.
I have not discussed this with anyone. I am just sitting here looking at an extremely aggressive statement and equally aggressive responses. Mind you showing my bias I think the latter have more right on their side.
Would welcome a few opinions, whether critical or in agreement, I do not mind a bit of flack.
The concerns of 750 people at one meeting on a Sunday evening has to be respected and dealt with in some form or other.

 

I have enormous respect for a few of the Board Members. However, if they unanimously passed the Statement yesterday I have to even doubt their capabilities and judgement. Yes we left them with an enormous debt of €13.7 million in 2005 ,what did the greyhound industry get for that.
1.4 million people going greyhound racing.
Profit of €6 million on the tote alone.
Prize money more than doubled.

Now for the capital items:
* World class track and stadium in Cork.
* World class track and stadium in Dundalk.
* World class stadium in Lifford.
* Brand new stadium in Waterford.
* Brand new stadium in Tralee.
* Brand new stadium in Thurles.
* Brand new stadium in Mullingar.
* World class stadium in Harold’s Cross.
* €7 million on upgrade in Shelbourne Park.
* Brand new stadium in Newbridge.
* Brand new stadium in Galway.
Yes we left a debt of €13.7 million, but we also left a legacy of many fine stadiums.
Unfortunately since the day we left the industry has been very badly governed by the respective Boards and their senior executives.
Now their only solution is to repeat the mantra,
Indecon says sell Harold’s Cross. We did not need any ‘Indecons’ in our ten years.
The Minister says sell Harold’s Cross.
The Board says sell Harold’s Cross.
By the way, I am going to call my next dog Populist Pap. Mind you I could be heading to Dundalk or Newbridge, as there might be no racing in Dublin.
€21 million debt for Limerick, debt €13.6 million in 2005 after all of the above listed building projects. I leave it to the readers to make up their own minds.
Could someone who has the e-mail addresses of the seven Board members please send them a copy of this posting.
I still do not believe that all seven Board members signed off on yesterday’s statement.