Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late. I will keep my questions for Mr. Joe Keeling extremely brief. I welcome Horse Racing Ireland to the committee. We are all excited about Mr. Keeling taking the chair and looking forward to all the innovations and changes he is going to introduce. Legislation on betting is about to come before the Houses of the Oireachtas. We are living in a very different time to the period during which the tax on betting was reduced to 1%. I would be very interested for Horse Racing Ireland to educate us as we head towards debate on the legislation. What does Mr. Keeling think the percentage should be? I refer in the context of the Internet to Senator Paul Bradford's comments. It is all very well to say that people should go racing and get involved, but that all costs money. In December when the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, was here to discuss the budget for 2013, I made a statement on the race courses. Horse Racing Ireland has spent a great deal of money on the country tracks and, as Senator Paul Bradford said, if the Olympics of horse racing involves breeding we can say we are one of if not the best. However, what has been spent on Leopardstown and the Curragh and what do they look like from the perspective of England or France? I want to hear what Mr. Keeling has to say on plans for world class facilities.

Most people who breed good horses go to Newmarket to sell them. What can we do? How can Mr. Keeling educate us and how can we legislate or incentivise breeders to sell their horses here? We must think of the money, tourism and visits sales here would bring. While it is better for me to get sterling for my horse, it is unfortunate that when a horse is sold in Newmarket instead of Ireland it means we start to water down what we are good at. People want Irish horses.