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

I am anxious to work with the Irish Harness Racing Association. I acknowledge the commitment to this among committee members. We did not delay but bear in mind that Indecon clearly states the funding the Senator is asking me to commit to the association is not something that I should offer as an inducement to comply with the Indecon recommendations. The report states that the funding the Senator is asking me to commit is conditional on the association meeting the recommendations. As a signal of good faith, we are committing in the region of €50,000 to the Irish Harness Racing Association for 2018 as a continuation and expansion of the pilot project. It is a prerequisite that the other five critical recommendations in the report are complied with before we could countenance seed funding but we are, as a signal of good faith, committing in the region of €50,000 to an expansion of the pilot project.