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

The section proposed to be amended states "to provide for the overall administration, governance, development and promotion of the Irish horseracing industry", and then very clearly, "other than functions assigned to the Racing Regulatory Body [which is the Turf Club] under section 39(1), including promoting and increasing attendance at authorised racecourses;". The section dealing with the rules of racing, which, essentially, are the functions of the racing regulatory body, is the section in which we are putting the reinforcing language on point-to-point racing. This is where it should be because it is the body that is primarily responsible for the regulation of point-to-point racing. It states: "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 could not be much stronger than that.