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

I agree with and welcome a lot of what the Minister said, particularly about looking at a foal levy, etc. I agree with him completely that horse industry is a fantastic one. As members of the committee know, I have been concerned to ensure all horses are looked at, including those in urban areas, and that account be taken of the Traveller community's affinity with horses.

I welcome what the Minister said about the betting tax which in the long term is the key to solving many of the problems. I would like to see all activities funded from the one fund. If more money was raised through the betting tax, some of it should go towards dealing with the issue of gambling, to which I have an aversion. While I might want to raise the betting tax, I have a particular aversion to gambling because I know of the damage it can do. However, it is going to happen. The issue has been the subject of ongoing discussions at the committee to which we invite all participants in the industry. It was great to hear from county managers and representatives of the ISPCA on one day, with representatives of the thoroughbred industry, in order that we looked at the very high and very low ends of the industry in a seamless way. In the future the one fund should be used to fund the development of the industry, from top to bottom, including the export sector. That is, as the Minister rightly pointed out, a matter for another day and it will require dramatic changes in how we conduct our business.

I still have a problem in the case of harness racing. There are two issues, the first of which is that it is looking for a small amount of money, while the second is access to tracks. On that very narrow issue, I would like us to invite representatives of HRI to give us its side of the story. I doubt if any of the money being allocated to HRI will be spent this side of Christmas. Perhaps the Minister might confirm that this is the case. In other words, I presume this is the fund to be spent next year and that, therefore, there is no overriding imperative preventing us from following procedure. On the narrow issue of harness racing, rather than the wider issue of reform of the industry, about which the Minister has spoken eloquently, in which he has shown a great interest and about which he has shown great flexibility, I would prefer the vote to be deferred until we have heard from HRI. When we have heard from it, I imagine it would not take more than ten minutes to agree to it.