Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's comments and I would be extremely supportive. He touches on the fact that almost 30,000 people are employed directly by the horse and greyhound industry in this country and it has an economic output of €1.4 billion. I know this well as more than 4,000 of those people are directly employed in Kildare, where I am from. The impact on rural communities where there are few alternative streams of income is very evident. The statistic of 85% of breeders having two mares in the farmyard stands out. It is easy to have the imagery of the big studs but it is the small, indigenous provider that is keeping this industry going and has kept it a world leader for so long.

It is worth noting that Ireland is the fourth largest producer of thoroughbreds in the world, producing 40% of EU output and 11% of the world's total. Irish horses are exported to over 35 countries around the world, with a total value of over €150 million last year. The industry is a very important source of high value foreign direct investment and over two thirds of the production of thoroughbreds is exported every year. Ireland has many natural advantages, such as climate, soil type and, most important, our people. We have the expertise. I have a habit of repeating the phrase that to get out of this recession, we do not need to reinvent the wheel, we just need to concentrate on the things we are good at and get back to basics. The horse racing and breeding industry is one of the industries we need to support.

There is a risk, however. It can almost sound a cliché when we continuously say we are world leaders and have been for so long. We could begin to take this for granted.

It is phenomenal that the industry here has survived for as long as it has given the number of countries, with much greater spending power than us, who would like to take us down a peg or two. Future funding of the industry was mentioned. I, too, am frustrated at the length of time it is taking for the Betting (Amendment) Bill 2012 to be dealt with. I accept that delay is being caused by the Department of Finance rather than the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It is important that legislation is enacted soon. The more money accruing to the Exchequer from betting, the easier it will be to make the case for adequate funding of the industry. It must be remembered that the industry never wanted to be directly funded by the Exchequer. It did not seek this change. The industry wants to stand on its own two feet. It is simplistic of Deputy Ó Cuív to suggest that the decrease in betting tax since 2001 is the result of online betting. I believe the reduction from 2% to 1% in betting tax in 2007 had a marked impact in this regard. This is evident from the tax receipts figures mentioned. At a time when all other taxes are increasing I am amazed this tax escaped increase.

On future funding of the industry, I have previously stated to the Minister that we cannot have a situation whereby every November-December the industry is living in fear of what the budget will mean for it. It is not possible for a business of any size to plan on that basis. We need to move to a multi-annual framework. While secure funding is needed, certainty is also needed. The industry needs to have certainty in terms of funding so that it can plan for up to three to five years ahead. There are many projects in this area which require long-term strategic planning, including the redevelopment of the Curragh industry, at which our Irish thoroughbreds are showcased. Such events cannot be planned on the basis of how much funding might be given on a year to year basis. It is important the industry has certainty, in terms of funding, this year.

On the other side, efficiencies in terms of how the industry is run need to be achieved. There is much great work being done in this regard, on which I congratulate the Minister. I am aware that much more is planned for 2013. I support this motion regarding funding for a crucial industry in this country.