Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. A persistent case has been made by the industry that the betting tax should be increased now that the loophole of online betting has been eliminated and that this should be used to develop what should be one of our major industries based on a fantastic natural resource in terms of both land and people. What is the Minister’s view on increasing the betting duty? I know it is a matter for the Minister for Finance, but no doubt he will consult with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Has the Minister made a case that even though it does not follow directly, they are related? The Minister himself mentioned the betting tax in his speech. If the betting tax were raised, we would have more money to develop the industry.

I presume the Minister has a unit within his Department that deals with the equine industry. How many staff work in the unit? Is it a stand-alone unit? How does it compare with similar sections such as the beef or sheep section in terms of staff? Does the Minister have plans to develop the unit so that we realise the full economic contribution from horses?

I understand at a European level the horse is not considered as an agricultural animal. It is amazing that tobacco, cotton and wool, which one cannot eat either, are designated as agricultural pursuits. Would it be an advantage to us if horse-related activity were designated as an agricultural activity at European level?

The Minister is going to give the greyhound industry a lot of money and he is asking us to vote for it. Is he satisfied, pending legislation, that it has carried out the necessary reforms into its procedures short of legislation before he gives them so much money for the next year? It is important that we get an audit of where the industry is at the moment in terms of practices before we vote it even more money. I suggest that before we vote the money through the Minister might come back to us on the issue with a report on the changes that have been brought to bear within the industry that did not require legislation.

The Irish Harness Racing Association was before the committee recently. It said it was getting less than co-operation from HRI, to which we are also going to vote a lot of money. We want to talk to HRI about its attitude to harness racing, which is quite a big sport in other places. My understanding is that harness racing in this country does not get any money from the horse and greyhound racing fund. We should defer the matter until we get an opportunity to talk to HRI to hear its side of the story, because it is wrong to make a pre-emptive decision. On the other hand, in view of the very serious issues raised with us by the Irish Harness Racing Association, I do not think we should vote the funding through until we get a full explanation as to why it holds the attitude it is alleged to hold on harness racing. I specifically say “allegedly” because we have not heard HRI’s side of the story. I hope the Minister will be agreeable to putting the decision back for a few weeks to allow us to talk to HRI and to get its explanation for its attitude to harness racing, the reason it has refused permission for harness racing to take place, and why it does not get any money from the fund.