The Irish Greyhound Owners & Breeders Federation is a Nominating Body for Seanad Eireann. Following are the results of the election of officers to the IGOBF from May 2017 to Septermber 2019 and our dealings with the Seanad Returning Officer.AGM 28th May 2017 Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise. Officers elected were: Chairperson Bill Murphy Cork Vice Chairperson Tony Walsh Mullingar Secretary Dave Cunningham Mullingar Treasurer Mary Moriarity Kerry PRO Paul Dillon Limerick Mid West AGM 20th June 2018 South Court Hotel, Limerick The seven GOBAs affilliated and entitled to contest the election of Officers were Cork, Kerry, Limerick Mid West, Mullingar, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford. The AGM was abandoned when the top table realised they were not going to be re-elected. EGM 22nd October 2018 Clonmel Park Hotel. All parties were notified. Officers elected were: Chairperson Pat O'Neill Waterford Vice Chairperson Theresa Holohan Kerry Secretary Helen Morris Wexford Treasurer Al Hanley Waterford PRO Padjoe Dorney Tipperary Cork, Limerick Mid West and Mullingar delegates did not attend to contest the election of Officers. AGM 9th June 2019 Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar The same Officers were returned as were elected at the EGM. EGM 4th September 2019 Thurles Greyhound Stadium Damian Matthews was elected as Chairperson to replace Pat O'Neill. The GOBAs presently affiliated to the IGOBF are Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick/Clare, North West, Northern, Tipperary, Waterford, Western and Wexford. Currently we represent 1213 members. During January/February 2019 we sent in supporting documents to the Seanad Returning Officer to have the address of the IGOBF amended in the Register of Nominating Bodies. This is normal practice when there is a change of officers on the board of the IGOBF as the register is updated in February each year. The other party also sent in an application. 26th February 2019 A Company (type CLG Company Limited by Guarantee) was incorporated using the name Irish Greyhound Owners & Breeders Federation Company Limited by Guarantee. The Directors William Murphy, Martin Moriarity and Anthony Walsh. Company Secretary David Cunningham. Subscribers William J Murphy, Michael A Walsh, Theresa Stafford, Anthony Walsh, John Moloney, Tom Smyth and Martin Moriarity. 28th February 2019 The Seanad Returning Officer stated I have decided to accept as valid for the purpose of the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947 (as amended) the application to have, in respect of the address, the entry in the Register of the Irish Greyhound Owners Federation amended and I am proceeding to amend the Register accordingly. My reason for so doing is that it appears to me that the balance of the evidence made available to me by the parties involved strongly supports the proposition that the board, on behalf of which the application has been made, was validly elected in accordance with the Constitution of the Federation He was referring to our EGM which was held on 22nd October 2018. 6th June 2019 The Acting Secretary to the Seanad Appeals Board informed both parties that an appeal hearing would take place on 25th June. 15th July 2019 The Seanad Appeal Board gave the result of the appeal An unfortunate situation has arisen in respect of the stewardship of the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation. There are now two groups claiming to be the official board of the Federation The appeal board is unanimously of the view from the documentation it has considered that it is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to determine who is the official body. In those circumstances, the maintenance of the register of nominating bodies for Seanad Eireann should not be the mechanism to favour one body over the other Until the matter is resolved by us the status quo remains. Therefore the name of Mr. Gus Ryan remains in the register for the present time. The IGOBF CLG are not recognised by the Seanad and are not in the Register of Nominating Bodies for Seanad Eireann. The IGOBF belongs to the greyhound owner, breeder and trainer and it is our only mechanism for representation with the Irish Greyhound Board, the Ministers and the Department of Agriculture. This can be resolved by all the greyhound owners, breeders and trainers that we represent and the GOBAs that have yet to affiliate. It is our industry and we need to look after it. In July 2019 The Irish Greyhound Board offered the services of Mr. Kieran Mulvey to mediate between the two groups. We accepted the offer, the IGB only received one formal response to the invitation to mediation Helen Morris Secretary of the IGOBF
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