Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I thank the Minister for attending. I welcome the increase in the fund. On the elitist conversation, I was at Goffs this morning and on Monday morning. It is no more elitist than Billy the Bear. On Monday, we sold a foal for my parents, who are in their nineties, for €4,500. The man who has worked for us for 30 years sold a National Hunt horse that won a bumper that he had built up with a local man in point-to-points for €140,000. That is like a lottery win for him. The fun and camaraderie around that is great. Returning to Goffs, the people there are not elitist. They are ordinary people from Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Cork, Wexford, Limerick, Clare, Kerry, Mullingar, Meath, Laois and Galway. That is where all my friends come from and they are not elitist. As the Minister said it is not an exaggeration to say that this industry has probably done more than any other to enhance Ireland's reputation in recent times. I admit there are a few individuals who happen to be geniuses and who have made us the most famous country in the world in which to breed racehorses but there are also many ordinary people like me involved. We are supporting rural Ireland.

I take the point regarding the excellent presentation by the Irish Harness Racing Association but we need to hear the response to that from the thoroughbred industry and from Horse Racing Ireland. The tillage, dairy and beef sectors are very different. Harness racing is about as far away from horse racing as one can imagine. It is difficult to explain that. They do not belong in the same conversation.

I am interested in hearing further from the Minister about the betting tax. I would like to see the industry pay for itself such that it does not have to dip into Exchequer funds. I would also welcome an update from the Minister on the Irish Equine Centre and how we can make certain it is continuously funded so that we become best in class in the world. I welcome the Bill. The Minister will be aware that I am a great fan of An Bord Bia. I know he wants to see HRI as a value-for-money organisation that is transparent and world class in terms of operation. Even though those of us here have confidence in how the vast amounts of money being provided in this area will be spent, I welcome the Minister's plans and vision for the future of HRI.