Bord na gCon
Encyclopedia
Bord na gCon ,abbreviated BnaC, is an Irish
semi-state body
charged with regulating and promoting greyhound racing
in Ireland. The board has been active in developing the sport in Ireland since its founding in 1958, but has also drawn criticism for acting independently of the government.
betting system, licence and authorise each stadium, its officials, and its on-course bookmaker
s, and promote the sport through advertising and prize grants. Bord na gCon received €14.5 million in state funding during 2007 but has been criticised as lacking government oversight. Bord na gCon has been active in improving Ireland's Greyhound Stadia in recent years, and in 2007 announced a €28 million investment in its facilities in Limerick and Kilkenny.
The board has long had a comprehensive policy on doping in the sport, even including Viagra on its list of banned substances. However, in 2006 Bord na gCon was imbued with controversy. A report illustrating that two dogs had tested positive for the banned substance EPO
was not made public by the board, contrary to standard practice. Aidan Tynan, the board's CEO at the time, sent a letter to the Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue
, outlining his concern with the situation. He was then removed from his position by the board. A government report subsequently criticised the board for its actions, and a 2008 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General
found some irregularities in the board's accounts.
Connacht
Leinster
Munster
Ulster
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
semi-state body
State-sponsored bodies of the Republic of Ireland
A State-Sponsored Body is the name given in Ireland to a state-owned enterprise , that is to say, a commercial business which is benficially owned, either completely or majority, by the Irish Government...
charged with regulating and promoting greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
in Ireland. The board has been active in developing the sport in Ireland since its founding in 1958, but has also drawn criticism for acting independently of the government.
History
Bord na gCon was established under the Greyhound Industry Act of 1958 with a number of aims. The body was formed to regulate the industry, operate a toteParimutuel betting
Parimutuel betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and the "house-take" or "vig" is removed, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning bets...
betting system, licence and authorise each stadium, its officials, and its on-course bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
s, and promote the sport through advertising and prize grants. Bord na gCon received €14.5 million in state funding during 2007 but has been criticised as lacking government oversight. Bord na gCon has been active in improving Ireland's Greyhound Stadia in recent years, and in 2007 announced a €28 million investment in its facilities in Limerick and Kilkenny.
The board has long had a comprehensive policy on doping in the sport, even including Viagra on its list of banned substances. However, in 2006 Bord na gCon was imbued with controversy. A report illustrating that two dogs had tested positive for the banned substance EPO
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
was not made public by the board, contrary to standard practice. Aidan Tynan, the board's CEO at the time, sent a letter to the Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue
John O'Donoghue (politician)
John O'Donoghue is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Kerry South constituency from 1987 to 2011. He is a former Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas. He resigned as Ceann Comhairle on 13 October 2009 due to controversy about his...
, outlining his concern with the situation. He was then removed from his position by the board. A government report subsequently criticised the board for its actions, and a 2008 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General
Comptroller and Auditor General
Comptroller and auditor-general is the abbreviated title of a government official in a number of jurisdictions, including the UK, the Republic of Ireland, India, and China....
found some irregularities in the board's accounts.
Stadia
Bord na gCon regulates all of Ireland's Greyhound Stadia. There are stadia in the following locations:Connacht
- Galway
Leinster
- Dublin (Harold's Cross StadiumHarold's Cross StadiumHarold's Cross Stadium is a greyhound racing stadium in the south Dublin city district of Harold's Cross, owned and operated by the Irish Greyhound Board. In the late 1990s, major redevelopment work saw the venue transformed from a basic gambling driven venue to a fairly well known social event...
, Shelbourne ParkShelbourne ParkShelbourne Park is a greyhound racing stadium in the south Dublin inner city suburb of Ringsend.The stadium also played host to the home matches of Shelbourne FC, who play in the League of Ireland, from 1913/14 up until 1948/49. The first match was a 1-1 draw against Bohemians and their last match...
) - Dundalk
- Eniscorthy
- Kilkenny
- Longford
- Mullingar
- Newbridge
- Waterford
Munster
- Cork
- Clonmel
- Thurles
- Limerick
- Tralee
- Youghal
Ulster
- Lifford
See also
- Greyhound racing in the United KingdomGreyhound racing in the United KingdomGreyhound racing is a popular sport in Great Britain with attendances at around 3.2 million at over 5,750 meetings, across 26 stadia in 2007 alone. There are 26 stadia in Britain, it is a Parimutuel betting tote system with on-course and off-course betting available, with a turnover of...
- Horse Racing IrelandHorse Racing IrelandHorse Racing Ireland is the governing body of horse racing on the island of Ireland. Like most other sports, horse racing is run on an All Ireland basis, so Horse Racing Ireland is responsible for racing in both the Republic of Ireland, which has 25 racecourses, and in Northern Ireland, which has...
- State-sponsored bodies of the Republic of IrelandState-sponsored bodies of the Republic of IrelandA State-Sponsored Body is the name given in Ireland to a state-owned enterprise , that is to say, a commercial business which is benficially owned, either completely or majority, by the Irish Government...