Odds stacked against stadium’s survival
BUT STADIUM MANAGER JIM TURNER VOWS TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP THE FACILITY OPEN AND SAYS ATTENDANCE FIGURES ARE INCREASING
THE future of Enniscorthy Greyhound Track has been placed in doubt after the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) announced it is to cease funding the facility next year.
In a report carried out on behalf of the IGB by Indecon Economic Consultants, recommendations were made that funding should cease for four tracks, including Enniscorthy.
The findings of the report were based on ‘the sustainability of individual stadia and the wider industry footprint’.
However, the Racing Manager at the Enniscorthy track, Jim Turner, told this newspaper that every effort will be made to keep the facility open.
In contrast to some of the findings in the report he said attendance figures for Enniscorthy are up this year to around 18,000 despite it losing four of its biggest race nights during the year.
The figure also contradicts the one outlined in the IGB report which claimed attendance in Enniscorthy was 13,515.
‘This year we turned a corner in terms of attendance and we are actually up,’ said Mr Turner.
‘There are a lot of younger owners in this area getting back into the game and we believe we have a future here,’ he added.
According to the report, the stadia with the lowest projected attendance, across three projected scenarios, were Enniscorthy, Youghal, Longford and Lifford.
In 2018, 757 races took place in Enniscorthy, through 86 race meetings, involving 4,460 animals.
The report indicated that 57 per cent of breeders, trainers and owners would end their involvement with greyhound racing if the stadium they use most regularly closes and Indecon accepted that closure of stadia will impact on the scale of the sector and its economic contribution.
Of the people who use Enniscorthy
track on a regular basis 48 per cent also use Shelbourne Park and 56 per cent also use Waterford Greyhound track.
According to the Indecon report the quality of facilities for spectators in Enniscorthy is ‘poor’, however, that’s also something Mr Turner disagreed with.
In particular he highlighted the fact that the car park at the showgrounds has been fully resurfaced.
He also emphasised the contribution the facility makes to the wider community with many local clubs and organisations raising much needed revenue for their respective venture through use of the track
The net contribution from IGB for prize-money grants, less tote revenue, to Enniscorthy Greyhound track in 2018 was €362,608 while the net contribution from IGB prize-money grants, less tote revenue per attendee, was €26.83.
The review also included assessments on infrastructure and services available at Enniscorthy in addition to its financial sustainability.
The infrastructure aspect of the report is significant as the recommendation to cease funding comes in the wake of the M11 motorway extension opening which has made Enniscorthy town even more accessible throughout the region.
Speaking to this newspaper the Communications Officer with the IGB, Josh Prenderville, said that while the recommendations of the report have been accepted by the board there will be a public consultation process until January 10, through which members of the public will be able to give their view and opinion on how the recommendations of the report should be implemented.
Mr Prenderville said the situation in Enniscorthy is different to the other tracks because it’s in private ownership.
‘It’s a slightly different situation because we don’t own it,’ he said.
Mr Prenderville also emphasised that cessation of funding was based purely on economics and had nothing to do with animal welfare.
‘There is nothing to suggest animal welfare was an issue in Enniscorthy,’ he said.
‘This decision is based purely on economics and the consultants firm that carried out the report is an economic consultancy,’ he said.
He said many questions will have to be answered in terms of logistics for dog owners in Enniscorthy and across Wexford.
‘Whether or not they will now race in Waterford is a matter for consideration but after January 10 the road map will be decided,’ said Mr Prenderville.
‘This is totally based on economics,’ he added, reiterating his earlier comment.
Mr Prenderville pointed out that the report was commissioned before the RTE programme which revealed incidents of animal abuse within the greyhound industry nationally.
‘This decision had nothing to do with that programme,’ he said.
However, he did say that since that programme aired there has been ‘a decline in attendance’ at race meetings nationally.
A decline in attendance nationally was also something outlined in the report conclusions in addition to Ireland having ‘an exceptionally high number of stadia for [its] population size’.
In its executive summary the Indecon report stated that ‘in the case of private stadia there may be opportunities for individual stadia to continue to operate without IGB prize money if they can generate internal resources or sufficiently reduce costs’.
As a result the consultants did not recommend that the IGB withdraws licences from any stadia provided they meet safety standards.
The track in Enniscorthy has been in operation since 1937 and is synonymous with the town.
The CEO of the IGB, Gerard Dollard, said, the greyhound industry, ‘like many other industries, has to change and adapt to maintain viability for future generations’.
‘I acknowledge that the report will make difficult reading for the passionate greyhound community,’ said Mr Dollard.
Mr Dollard went on to highlight the importance of members of the public availing of the chance to assess the outcome of the independent study and express their views before the recommendations are implemented.
The decision to withdraw funding from the track was criticised by Fianna Fail TD, James Browne, who said any move to close the track was unacceptable.
‘Enniscorthy is a profitable track and it makes no sense to pull funding while other loss-making tracks are left open,’ he said.
‘Not only is it an important part of the town and county’s sporting heritage – dating back to the 1930s - it also makes a significant contribution to rural employment and development, the business and services sector, tourism and the local economy as a whole,’ he added.
The public can make their submissions on the IGB report recommendations up to January 10.
WE WILL FIGHT THIS. THIS YEAR WE TURNED A CORNER AND WE WOULD SAY OUR ATTENDANCE FIGURES ARE ACTUALLY UP