Greyhound Racing Ireland’s legal costs almost double to €373k

Spending by Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) on ‘legal costs and settlements’ last year almost doubled from €199,550 to €373,667.

The semi-State body’s 2021 annual report reveals that legal fees associated with High Court injunction proceedings amounted to €300,000, employee dispute resolution €38,000 and the balance was in respect of legal fees incurred with regard to third party disputes.

The report shows that pre-tax profits at Rásaíocht Con Éireann (Greyhound Racing Ireland) increased by 97 per cent to €2.94 million.

The sharp increase in profits followed State funding via the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund to the agency increasing by 14 per cent from €16.8 million to €19.2 million and revenues from racing activities rising by 8 per cent to €8.8 million

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Total revenue increased by 17.5pc to €21.1 million as expenditure rose by 13.6 per cent to €15.8 million.

Revenues from race activities rose after attendances increased from 126,376 to 158,029, with the number of meetings held last year rising from 1,085 to 1,384.

The total prize money increased by €2m to €8.1 million, which included a €1.86 million contribution from owners and sponsors.

The GRI’s spend on “racing regulation, welfare, laboratory, integrity and governance” last year increased sharply from €1.76 million to €2.75 million.

The report states that the increase arises from salary, travel and veterinary costs being back to normal levels for 2021 following Covid-19 lockdowns.

“Restrictions associated with Covid-19 continued to have a severe impact on the operations of RCÉ during 2021,″ the report adds.

GRI chairman Frank Nyhan paid tribute to former chief executive Ger Dollard, whom he said led the organisation through a “turbulent period”. Mr Dollard left GRI in September 2021.

Dearbhla O’Brien took up the post of CEO earlier this year but in August Mr Nyhan confirmed that she is to leave her role at the end of this month.

Numbers employed last year decreased from 153 to 146 as staff costs increased from €5.59 million to €5.7 million, which included redundancy costs of €203,863 relating to nine staff.

The staff costs last year were net of €1.1 million received in Covid-19 wage supports.