Mr. Adrian Neilan:

I am delighted to have the opportunity to clarify the position for the Deputy because there is a great deal of misinformation going around. When we first looked at the site we were offered the car park on a licence only basis for 999 years at a cost of €1.1 million. That was the clearly communicated cost to us. This was put before the board in 2007 and accepted. There was a lot of value associated with that proposition. Greyhound racing, notwithstanding the opportunities currently presented - the Chairman referred earlier to casinos and other uses - takes place only two or three nights a week, during which time the car park is used. However, if we were to purchase the capital land for the car park, which would be 3 or 3.5 acres at a cost of €250,000 per acre, and to develop it the cost would be €2.5 million. We were offered a car park that should have cost us €2.5 million for €1.1 million. It made perfect economic sense for us to take it on a licence only basis. The board knew the cost would be €1.1 million and accepted it. It is a fallacy, and bordering on derisible, to suggest we were getting this for free.