Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am glad that when the Minister responded to the issues around the funding of the Irish Harness Racing Association, he acknowledged that the 2015 meeting of the agriculture committee discussion of a motion similar to the matter before us here was the genesis of the Indecon report. My understanding is that a number of Deputies present had said they could not support the funding that was proposed in the motion unless a serious commitment was given to address the Irish Harness Racing Association. This report was commissioned on the back of that. The Department has had this report since May and it took five or six months for the report to be published. My concern is that in this industry, people acting in good faith have built relationships internationally and are paying their own way to travel to international events and conferences to build an industry in Ireland. They have done tremendous work. The Indecon report clearly endorses that and believes in the sector's potential. However, there are things that frustrate me. The Department has allocated €500,000 to Horse Racing Ireland which was also the subject of an Indecon report, published in May this year. Why did this Indecon report into the potential of harness racing, whose publication is way over due, have to wait for six months? The Minister says that money is allocated for 2018 but he is coming before the committee with a motion for money to be allocated to other sectors. That is fair enough but the harness racers are looking for seed funding. The Minister refers to the corporate challenges they face, but they are stepping up to them. Like others here, I have met with them and am immensely impressed by them.

They have provided initial training to board members and further training is under way. The size of the board has been expanded. There are five subcommittees. A core five-year strategy is being prepared and will be ready in mid-December. The board will outline its plans to the committee in January. The board needs seed funding to cover implementation. The Minister has said he wants to address some of the issues in INDECON. INDECON has clearly recommended that seed funding should be allocated to the IHRA to enable it to move on and address matters. It is understandable that the Government needs reassurances about a five-year plan, the corporate structure and oversight in the industry, the sector, the animals and so on.

Two years ago this committee took a stand about the following. Personally speaking, having considered this situation, I believe it is deeply unfair that the publication of the report was delayed by six months and post the budget allocation for 2018. The association has made huge sacrifices. It has reached a critical moment in terms of its future. As one can see from the report the association does not have a huge amount of financial resources but anyone can see that it has a huge amount of ability and commitment. It needs the Government to step in and act as its partner. A significant investment will come from France over a number of years, which demonstrates that the sector has immense potential and international friends. People have asked why they should invest in the area forever if its own Government or State will not do so.

I appreciate the comments the Minister has made today. Clearly, he supports the IHRA and has met them recently so I have no gripe with him. I know from what he has said that he is supportive and open to the association. Everything he has said has been encouraging. He acknowledged at the outset that the committee took a stand on this issue a number of years ago. Through no fault of the association the report was delayed by five or six months. If the report had been released on time and the association had received seed funding it would now be in a much stronger position. The association does not just need seed funding but capital funding. If it can secure a particular racing track soon it will prove very beneficial. It is a huge opportunity that must not be missed. We have a group of people here who have made considerable personal and financial sacrifices. They have real enthusiasm for the sector. They have been pretty much endorsed and vindicated by an independent report. However, they need some financial assistance to implement some of the structures, improve organisational structures and appoint key staff. As the Minister will know, the association does not have any staff. I urge him to consider providing a portion of what he has recommended today: it is a relatively small amount of money.

In terms of the Minister asking the committee to support the motion for funding to be provided for the two sectors, I am saying there is money available. In terms of the request for seed funding, I ask that the Department engages with the IHRA to ensure that it has the assurances that it needs. This is a critical moment for the association. It is unfair of the Minister and his Department to say there is no funding for 2018 because publication of the report was delayed by his Department.