Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Paul Daly and Deputies McConalogue and Cahill for their observations and questions.

I might deal with the last point on harness racing first. It is true to say that the Indecon report, which now charts the blueprint and the roadmap for the sector, was probably conceived in these committee rooms in the context of the Horse Racing Ireland legislation. As the committee will be aware, that report was commissioned and the Department published it in October. Historically, it is also true to say, as Deputy Cahill alluded to, that this is a sector which, in the not-too-distant past, almost had predominance as the equine sector that attracted the greatest levels of public support. It has, however, for one reason or another, fallen significantly in the intervening period. It has significant potential to re-establish itself. Recently, I met informally representatives of the sector post the publication of Indecon. As a Department, we see a public gain to be had from working with the sector. There are issues the public at large wants to see addressed and from my engagement with the Irish Harness Racing Association, it is an appropriate vehicle and is interested in working with the Department to address some of the issues in the areas of public concern, apart altogether from the economic potential of the sector.

Indecon made five key recommendations. One was to recognise the Irish Harness Racing Association as the appropriate governing body. It also stated that the corporate governance of the sector needed to improve. It talked about developing a five-year plan in terms of where the sector should go. I cannot recall all five recommendations. One was that the Department should continue to fund the pilot project on horse welfare and education with which it has been involved in that area. It also spoke about a financial plan for the sector. That is the blueprint. The sector now needs to reflect, and probably not to respond in haste but to lay a solid foundation. If it is a solid foundation, this Department will work with the sector in terms of achieving its potential.

I appreciate the point about Dundalk. I have been working with French harness racing interests which have shown the potential that is there. It is a sector with a wide geographical spread. In my own county, and in west Cork especially, there is a particularly strong interest in it, and it is a long established tradition. We want to work with the sector. At a recent meeting, I told them that our budgets for 2018 are already published. It will take the Irish Harness Racing Association time to digest and construct the appropriate responses outlined in the Indecon report. When it does that, it will not find the Department wanting in terms of working with it. There are issues around unstructured harness racing on public roadways which is the subject of adverse comment in the media and there are significant animal welfare concerns around it. This is an area where we would like the Irish Harness Racing Association and the Department to work together and bring about a public gain. We also hope that the two working together would enable the Irish Harness Racing Association would enable it to achieve the sector's potential. It has an international dimension and is something that can benefit the economy but we have the Indecon report and now our challenge is to build on it. Having met representatives of the sector, I know they recognise that too.

A number of other points lend themselves to quick responses. I hope to take the greyhound Bill to Cabinet before Christmas and publish it afterwards.

Senator Paul Daly spoke of the betting tax and referred to international comparisons with the funding available, I think he mentioned France. I am conscious that while €80 million is a lot of money, it is not in comparison with the support available in our competitor countries, a term I use advisedly because it is a very mobile industry which, if the policy framework was not right here could relocate in a substantial way. The funding available in other countries far exceeds the amount we are in a position to put into the sector, not only in France but elsewhere. We must keep an open mind on these matters. Primarily the betting tax is an issue for the Department of Finance but we need to ensure that we make continual progress in funding the sector. This year, the fund remains the same as last year but in the exceptionally difficult three preceding years, there was a €6 million increase year on year for three years and then this year, in a very difficult year, we held the fund at €80 million. I take the Senator's point that when one stands still, it is like going backwards and certainly, I would like to revisit the fund next year, but in the context of a very difficult budget with many competing interests, it was not an insignificant achievement given what occurred in the three proceeding years.

I am very conscious of the point to which the Senator alluded, although he was not specific, regarding the WRC issue. I do not wish to trespass on the area while it is before the WRC but it is one on which we keep a very anxious eye. We are very conscious of the implications it could have on the industry and especially for smaller players. We will not comment further until there has been an outcome as it would not be fair to do.