Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Mr. Kavanagh showed us, and forgetting about elitists and snobs, rural Ireland is in a lot of trouble and it does not take a genius to see it. We have a €1 billion industry and stand with the best in the world in fourth place. We have a reputation. I do not know how to make the analogy without appearing to be a snob but I was never allowed to keep my ponies anywhere near a racehorse. That used to make me mad with my father but we were never allowed to cross the farm and contaminate the sport animal with the thoroughbred. They needed to be protected because we lived by our horses. Thoroughbred horse racing and other horse sports are as different as the pizza industry is from the burger industry - they do not belong together.

I hear about France, Australia and Scandinavia but why has England never amalgamated the two sports? England is one of our biggest competitors and we want to be a better place for wealthy Arabs to breed their horses. We have to mind this industry and we have excellent people doing a damn good job but it is competitive and, while we have to find a way to help the harness industry, mixing it with the thoroughbred industry is not the way forward.