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

In the Bill there is no suggestion that the issuing of anything is being transferred, including the registration of hunter certificates. None of the payments going to local hunt clubs at the moment is changed. The only thing that has changed is that the registration of a hunter that would have gone to the national hunt committee is going to the new administrative office and then going back to the national committee. It is an administrative issue. None of the payments that would have been going to local hunt clubs is being taken away from them and their role is not being changed or undermined. The issuing of certificates still stays with the local hunt club.

Instead of going to the national hunt committee, the registration of a hunter certificate will now go to this new administrative office which then pays the national hunt committee. The provision is part of the process of streamlining the functions of Horse Racing Ireland and the racing regulatory body. The amendment, as proposed, would return the registration of hunter certificates to the racing regulatory body, which is what we are trying to change for the purposes of efficiency in administration. I cannot accept the amendment.

We will look at the other matter concerning issuing, certifying and so on to ensure we get the right language to protect the local hunt clubs which, I understand, is the main concern of Deputies. If we were to accept the amendment, essentially we would be doing nothing and there would be no change. We would simply be leaving it as it was in terms of the registration and associated administration. This is precisely what we are trying to bring some efficiency to.