Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

The Deputy's questions relate to a number of different issues. The Limerick stadium has been the subject of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General and I have given some reaction to that report. The Comptroller and Auditor General made significant findings many of which related to a period before our Department took over the responsibility for the track. That is not to say I am washing my hands of it - rather, that those are the facts. That report stands, as does our response to it. The issue raised by the Deputy is more fundamental. It relates to Harold's Cross but it relates more broadly to Bord na gCon.

Bord na gCon moved from having a surplus of €525,000 in 2011 to a deficit of €986,000 in 2014. I think it has debts of about €22 million. In the light of all the issues that had arisen in Limerick and other issues, Indecon was brought in to conduct a study and make recommendations. I think it made 27 recommendations, among which was a programme of asset disposals, clearly to improve the finances of Bord na gCon and its balance sheet. To be absolutely clear, no decision has been taken by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. It is for Bord na gCon to go through the Indecon report and develop an implementation plan, which it has done. It is working through it. Among the things it will have to do is to make decisions on what it wants to do on the proposed sale of assets. Under the 1999 Act, it has to obtain the consent of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for the disposal of any property. The sale of the track at Harold's Cross has been recommended by Indecon. We have not at this point received any request from Bord na gCon. We are well aware that it is considering the proposal and will eventually come to us with a proposal, but so far the Minister has not made a decision on the matter. It has not come to him for decision.