Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is fine, but what is happening for the first time is a conversation between the Irish Harness Racing Association and HRI. The conversation got off to a slow start, but it is now developing and we should give it an opportunity to develop further, rather than put HRI under pressure and say we will not give it any money until it does X, Y and Z for the harness racing industry. I can speak to HRI. The chairman rang me about this issue and asked whether I wanted it to look at it with an open mind. He said that if that was the case, it would do so. To be fair, that is what happened in Dundalk. The job of HRI is to protect the horse racing industry, primarily the thoroughbred sector. Of course, it would be cautious about another sport using venues it was funding. We are in the early stages of that conversation, but I think HRI will look at the issue with an open mind to see how it can be helpful in developing the sector, but I do not think the way to do it is to force the matter by withholding money.