A 25-year-old dog handler has brought a High Court challenge against a decision banning him from attending at greyhound racetracks or coursing events.
The action has been brought by Christopher Connolly over a decision made by Bord na gCon, which regulates greyhound racing in Ireland, which was consented to by the Irish Coursing Club, which regulates coursing, to exclude him from greyhound events around the country.
The court heard the exclusion order against Mr Connolly arose out of an incident at Tooradin Trial Track, Australia in 2014 when a piglet was used as live bait to train greyhounds.
Following an investigation of that and other incidents where piglets and rabbits were used as live bait, the regulators of greyhound racing in the Australian State of Victoria handed 10 people involved in training greyhounds bans for using live animals to train their dogs.
Mr Connolly, who returned to Ireland in 2015, received a lifetime ban, which was later reduced to five years on appeal.
In 2016 he applied to Bord na gCon for a Kennel hand Authorisation which would allow him to work in the industry he has been involved with for many years.
That application was refused by the Bord who informed Mr Connolly that he was "not a fit and proper person to be certified".
The Bord then informed Mr Connolly it was investigating him over what had occurred in Australia.
In May 2018 Mr Connolly was informed by the Bord that it was making the exclusion order against him and had obtained the consent of the Irish Coursing Club.
He claims the decision is flawed and should be set aside on grounds including that it is unreasonable and irrational.
He also claims the Bord did not comply with the principles of natural justice or basic fairness when arriving at its decision to exclude him.
No adequate reasons were cited for its decision, it is also submitted.
He further alleges that the investigation relied upon by Bord na gCon before it made its decision never took place.
The decision to exclude him lacks objectivity and appears to have been made in advance of any submissions from Mr Connolly, it is claimed.
In his action Mr Connolly with an address at Farney's Cross, Cappawhite, Co Tipperary seeks orders quashing a decision by Bord na gCon (the Irish Greyhound Board) prohibiting him being on any greyhound race tracks, any authorised coursing meeting or any public sale of greyhounds.
He also seeks an order quashing the Irish Coursing Club's consent to the making of the exclusion order. He further seeks a declaration that the order is invalid and seeks damages.
Permission to bring the action was granted, on an ex parte basis, by the High Court late last month.
The matter was briefly mentioned before Mr Justice Donald Binchy today when Mr Connolly's lawyers said it had been agreed between the parties that there would be a stay on his exclusion until the case had been determined.
The matter will return before the High Court in November.
