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

I move amendment No. 33:

In page 13, to delete line 31.

This has been a contentious issue that we are trying to deal with. It concerns deals regarding media rights. In recent years the collective, rather than the individual parts, of the racing industry has become far more valuable. The Irish racing industry is a powerful negotiating tool in terms of the media because of the standard and quality of racing here. We need to make sure that we harness that to get the maximum financial value possible out of negotiating media rights collectively.

The sector involves racing across multiple different racecourses across the country and it is in the interests of everybody to get the best deal we can. The allocation of that money once it comes in is a different issue, in terms of who gets it. Everybody wants to make a case for their priorities and so on. The current approach towards media rights seems to be working reasonably well. We are trying to develop a language in the Bill that ensures that everybody who has a stake feels he or she has some involvement in the finalisation of decisions.

We propose to insert the following: "[A] contract or arrangement referred to in subsection (1) shall not be made by the media rights committee without the agreement of the board of HRI and representative of executives of authorised racecourse." The Association of Irish Racecourses, AIR, is the representative body of racecourses. We examined the wording and tried to get it right. I met representatives at a senior level in AIR. Deputy Penrose has raised issues in this regard and we have tried to develop a language that will ensure everybody feels he or she is part the decision-making process before a final agreement is made by HRI. This language achieves what we are trying to do. It means there will not be an agreement of the board of HRI without consultation with the representative body of authorised racecourses. That ensures it has a say, which it should have, in the final outcome of how media rights are negotiated. It is to be hoped people will support that.

Before members get hot under the collar, I will point out that the process will involve a bit more than consultation; it has to agree to it.