I saw the photograph and was horrified. I am saddened by the deaths but I will attend the reception in the American Embassy. I am sure that most Members of the Oireachtas and, indeed, the people on this island will view the reception as an invitation. I shall attend to pay my respects to the American people. I have issues with Donald Trump and I do not agree with him but a boycott of our friends in the United States is not a way forward. The Senator has his own views but I believe he is wrong and his view is very divisive. I will go to my friends in the United Kingdom. Whatever embassy extends an invitation to me, including the Russian Embassy, I will go and pay my respects as somebody who represents Ireland. I agree to differ with the Senator in terms of accepting the invitation. I do not go to these embassies to drink wine. I am well able to afford my own glasses of wine and days out. I shall go so that I can interact with the citizens of the United States and of this country, and also to work with our good friends in the United States.

Last night I watched the RTÉ "Prime Time" programme on the horrific events in the Irish greyhound industry. As many as 16,000 greyhounds are born every year and 6,000 of them are killed because they are simply not fast enough. There is serious concern about this issue. I ask the relevant Minister to come in here to alleviate our concerns about the greyhound industry that receives so much State funding. I know what was featured in the programme is perpetrated by a minority of people in the greyhound industry. A traceability system has been put in place but our concerns need to be alleviated. I am somebody who enjoys a flutter on the greyhounds. Last Tuesday, I was in Shelbourne Park to watch the greyhound racing and racing is a nice night out. I noticed that between 80% and 90% of the crowd were German, Russian and American tourists who travelled to the venue by bus. However, unless the abuse of greyhounds is dealt with in an open and transparent way by the Irish greyhound industry, the Government and the Minister, attendances at greyhound race tracks could be affected. I hope that there is openness and transparency and that the horrific murder of 6,000 greyhound pups every year will stop.

I congratulate Senator Grace O'Sullivan on her election and wish her the very best of luck in her new role as an MEP. She will be a great loss to this House. She is the third member of the agricultural panel to move on for one reason or another since we were elected. As someone on that panel a small bit of me thinks long may it continue.

I want to raise the same issue as Senator Feighan. It is with a heavy heart that I must discuss the horrific and very distressing scenes broadcast last night. I welcome the recent introduction of the Greyhound Racing Act 2019. I know that the legislation is in its infancy and probably has not reached full fruition yet. However, it gives the power to the Irish Greyhound Board and Bord na gCon and, indeed, the Irish Coursing Club, ICC, to enact far greater traceability methods within the greyhound industry and the studbook. It is vitally important that this is acted on immediately. There needs to be full traceability from a greyhound's birth until its death and every movement needs to be recorded.

I know that no licences have been granted to export greyhounds to either China or Pakistan but they are getting there through the back door. I insist that no licences are granted if applications are received.

We need to strengthen the legislation. As late as last week Department officials attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Fianna Fáil group, in particular Deputy Jackie Cahill, requested them to attend to discuss horse and dog welfare. That discussion needs to be continued and acted on, and there needs to be far more than just a discussion. The content of the programme that was broadcast last night was horrific and distressing. Everybody here knows that I am into greyhound racing and horse racing so I know that the vast majority of people who are involved in both sports love their animals like they would a human being. Unfortunately, a small minority of people bring things down and I hope there is not a kneejerk reaction to the programme. There needs to be swift and immediate action. We cannot legislate for what goes on in China and Pakistan other than try to keep our dogs out of there. I want to stress for the benefit of the Minister that what we witnessed happening in Irish knackeries that was broadcast last night was a total disgrace and is unacceptable behaviour, which is something we can act on. I plead with the Minister to take action as early as this morning on reviewing the re-licensing of any Irish knackery that performs in a fashion that was witnessed last night on television. It was utterly deplorable and disgraceful and put us to shame. In fact, it put us in the same window as the Chinese and Pakistanis, which is unacceptable and something we can act on. That is the first piece of action that needs to be taken on the back of last night's programme.