TRACK MEETING WILL HIGHLIGHT FIGHT PLAN
THE ongoing fight to keep Enniscorthy Greyhound Track open is expected to gather pace this week with a public meeting due to take place this coming Wednesday.
The meeting will take place at 8 p.m. in the Riverside Park Hotel.
It comes in the wake of a report commissioned by the Irish Greyhound Board and carried out by Indecon which recommended the withdrawal of financial support to the track later this year.
If the recommendations are implemented there are real fears that it will lead to possible closure of the facility.
However, speaking to this newspaper recently about the crisis facing the track, racing manager at the facility, Jim Turner, said numbers have actually been increasing.
He also highlighted the fact that the track serves as an invaluable resource for the local community with numerous organisations, clubs and individuals using it for fundraising events.
The Indecon report recommended the withdrawal of funding to four tracks - all privately owned - while support of racing at IGB owned venues will continue.
However, some of those venues recorded financial losses and according to Mr Turner the Enniscorthy facility continues to perform satisfactorily.
According to a spokesperson for Enniscorthy
Chamber, over the past three years the track has broke even and on one occasion recorded a modest surplus in terms of its day-to-day operations.
‘It is against this background that the fight to save Enniscorthy Greyhound Track from closure will be fought and at next Wednesday night’s public meeting the attendance will hear of pledges of support from the IFA, Wexford Tourism, the G.A.A., the Irish Greyhound and Breeders Association, Enniscorthy and District Chamber of Commerce and the
Irish Point-to-Point Association,’ said the chamber spokesperson.
Representatives from those organisations will address the meeting outlining the economic, social and sporting benefits the track brings to the community.
‘It is estimated the economic benefit from the facility to the local economy over the past five years is around €10m,’ said the spokesperson.
In addition it’s estimated that a further €1m was generated for local charitable organisations through fundraising nights at the facility.
‘Therefore loss of this amenity, in terms of fund-raising for worthy causes, is incalculable not to mention the loss of jobs the closure would bring in its wake,’ said the chamber spokesperson.
In response to the Indecon report the track committee has commissioned an economic report which it intends to submit to the IGB at the end of this month.
It’s expected that report will highlight why it’s imperative that funding to the track is not withdrawn and the benefits to be had through ongoing support of the facility.
Wednesday night’s meeting will be chaired by local owner and breeder, Paddy Kavanagh, who also chaired a meeting of owners and breeders just before Christmas when an attendance of over 300 packed the bar of the dog track.
The level of support for that meeting was indicative of the depth of feeling in Enniscorthy and the surrounding areas with regard to the importance of funding not being withdrawn to the track.
The organisers of this week’s meeting are anticipating an even bigger turnout.
It’s also expected that Ministers of State, Paul Kehoe and Michael D’Arcy will be in attendance along with Deputy James Browne TD, and members of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council.
The meeting will get under way at 8 p.m. sharp and is open to all members of the public.