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

We are probably all on the same page on this issue. I have discussed this matter with various people who are passionate about point-to-point racing. I have also been to many point-to-point races and I spent a great deal of time around horses when I was growing up. We are not changing the structure of point-to-point racing, which is a success story. The system works and the sport is predominately run by volunteers in local hunt clubs, which feed into a national steeplechase committee. We are not attempting to change any of the structures for making decisions on fixtures, the management of local events and so forth. What we are trying to do across the industry is to have more transparency in terms of how money is raised and spent. We are trying to create a concept of a single portal whereby all the money comes into one efficiently run office controlled by Horse Racing Ireland because it is answerable to me, the Oireachtas, including the joint committee, and the Comptroller and Auditor General. The only change and the only area in which HRI will become involved is that it will assume responsibility for the registration process for hunter certificates, as advocated in the Smith & Williamson report. I sometimes refer to it as the Smith & Wesson report, which may be because I also have responsibility for defence. This change was recommended in the report as a means of achieving a more efficient administrative structure and cost savings.

Deputy Penrose's concern is shared by others. The role of the local hunt club will remain the same. The only change is to the office to which cheques are sent, which will be a central administrative office. Rather than having two offices, one operated by the Turf Club and a second one operated by Horse Racing Ireland, which are located within a few hundred metres of each other, we are seeking to introduce one administrative function. That is the only change. Everything else remains the same.

Another of my amendments will, I hope, provide some reassurance. Amendment No. 44 is a better way of achieving the objective sought by Deputy Penrose. It amends the section on the rules of racing.

We propose to change that to state: "to maintain the existing nature of point-to-point steeplechases including making and enforcing the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Regulations for point-to-point steeplechase as made by the Stewards of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee." We are trying to reinforce the point that this is the committee which sets the regulations and controls the sector. Deputy Penrose is talking about making a regulation, but this is amending the general functions of HRI. The change proposed by the Deputy refers to the broader roles of HRI across racing as a whole.

HRI has some role in point-to-point racing. It provides prize money, controls bookmaking activities and pays for the integrity services that are provided by the Turf Club. The existing role that HRI provides or supports in point-to-point racing will not change. The core management system, functioning and structure, and success, of point-to-point racing is not being undermined by anything we are doing here. It is simply an administrative function that we are looking to change, moving from having two offices to having one office. That is it.

I reassure anybody listening who is passionate about point-to-point racing and who thinks we are somehow undermining it in the Bill that nothing could be further from the truth. We are trying to ensure that the racing sector as a whole, including point-to-point racing, is strengthened and that there are transparency and modern management structures in place so that we can fully account for and stand over the way in which money is raised, managed and allocated. In fact, the funding stream stays the same. The money automatically goes from that administrative office back into the Turf Club anyway, and that is guaranteed later on. One will see strong language in that regard. This is nothing more or less than an administrative efficiency issue.

I intend to deal with the points Deputy Penrose seeks to make in his amendment in my amendment No. 44 because my advice is that we can deal with it more comprehensively there. I have met the Turf Club and interests from the point-to-point racing sector about this and we will deal with the concerns in the amendment.