GRI
GRI’s budget for 2021 has been prepared against a very challenging and changing operating environment due to the impact of Covid-19. The budget has taken account of the government’s plan Resilience & Recovery – Living with Covid under which greyhound racing is permitted under all 5 levels of the plan but with much reduced attendance permitted at Levels 1 & 2.
Commenting on the budget, Frank Nyhan, Chairman, Rásaíocht Con Éireann/Greyhound Racing Ireland stated “The Board of RCÉ is very conscious of the impacts of the restrictions associated with Covid-19 on the wider greyhound industry. It is hugely important to the industry that greyhound racing continues to operate at all of our tracks. This has been achieved despite the cessation of commercial activities through loss of gate admissions, tote operations and food & beverage income all of which have been very seriously impacted as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
The budget for 2021 focuses on maintaining greyhound racing and progressing our primary objective of strengthening the greyhound industry through the introduction of a traceability system and an extensive Care & Welfare Programme both of which will stand to the industry in the medium to long-term. We are also ready to recommence our restaurant and tote operations when national circumstances permit full resumption.
The budget would not have been possible without the additional allocation of €2.4M from the Horse & Greyhound Fund which brings the 2021 allocation to €19.2M. In that regard, the Board would like to express its thanks to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his officials for their support to the greyhound industry.”
The main features of the 2021 Budget adopted by Rásaíocht Con Éireann are as follows:
Activities to be funded from the Care & Welfare Programme include:
GRI is pleased at the increase in rehoming activity with total re-homings to date in 2020 being 1,245 as compared with 812 in the same period in 2019.