Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask about the ring-fencing of funds. Many of the suggestions presented by our guests make a great deal of sense. We should try to support them in whatever way possible. However, the Department of Finance always reacts very badly to any suggestion of ring fencing, which is does not like. Bizarrely enough, however, it has no difficulty in ring-fencing funds for horse and greyhound racing through legislation. I refer to the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001, by means of which money procured via a levy which applies to every bet placed throughout the country is immediately placed in the horse and greyhound racing fund. When it comes to ring-fencing funding relating to mental health, children or anti-poverty strategies, however, the Department does not like it. Will our guests indicate how practical or justifiable they consider ring-fencing to be, particularly in the context of the fact that it is considered fine for horses but not for poor, sick or vulnerable people?