Mr. Brian Kavanagh:

That would be on a par with the UK, slightly below Germany, Italy and Scandinavia and somewhat more below France. The issue we have is that the IHRA's first request was for three meetings in Dundalk, which has moved to six. On the last occasion, there was a discussion about 20 meetings a year in Dundalk. There was also a discussion when the harness racing people were with the joint committee about using other tracks in addition to Dundalk, which brings us to the broader issue that Deputy Ó Cuív touched on. It is not clear to us what the IHRA's current requirements are in that respect. It has said to us all along that it does not see Dundalk as its long-term home and wants to develop its own. In 2009, it spoke about developing a facility at Collon in County Louth. Obviously, there are existing facilities in Portmarnock and in other areas both North and South of the Border. The debate moves from one to the other. To answer the Deputy's direct question, if it was staging three race meetings a year in Dundalk, it would be on a par with the number of meetings staged on racetracks in the UK, slightly below Germany, Italy and Scandinavia and significantly below France.

Feeling threatened is not an issue whatsoever. I would regard the development of harness racing as something welcome. It would sit in the same way that greyhound racing and horse racing sit together. With regard to Killarney, which was some time ago, there was an intended meeting on Killarney racetrack which was stopped by HRI for the same reasons and concerns we are debating here. At that time, the position of HRI was that it was not supportive of harness racing on authorised racecourses, and that was proposed in Killarney. The background to that type of position and the position we are debating today is concerns expressed by various bodies represented on the HRI board, including the trainers' association. While they are agreeable to meetings being staged on a trial basis, they do not see harness and horse racing as compatible in the long term on the same race tracks.

I was asked about equality and legislation. In his question, Deputy Ó Cuív outlined the complexities we face. There is detailed legislation governing our sport, which we welcome. It is the envy of other countries. Allocation of race fixtures, capital grants to racecourses, negotiation of media rights, levies on foals, regulation and the rules on racing and integrity are all done in accordance with legislation that is handed down. To give equality of treatment to and apply the legislation to harness racing would be a major exercise. It is not comparable with other countries, where harness racing is far more popular than here. They are both run as separate sports with separate codes, governing bodies and rule books. That is an indication of the complexity.