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

I thank the Chair and the members for their questions. It is obvious that members are deeply interested in the equine industry, as well as the greyhound industry. Sitting on this side of the debate, the unfortunate position is that there is never enough money to meet all the requests. In the context of what we are doing today, we are very much restricted by the legislation. It provides for the allocation of funds, under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001, via a statutory instrument that provides for an 80:20 split - 80% goes to Horse Racing Ireland and 20% to Bord na gCon. On related issues raised about the Sport Horse Alliance, Horse Sport Ireland or harness racing, it is not within my gift, given the constraints of the regulations at the moment, to allocate from the Horse and Greyhound Fund to any of those.

The funding they get comes from the generality of the allocation to the Department. It is not open under the construct of the legislation to allocate under the Horse and Greyhound Fund. As I said, there is never enough money. Another point I will make, that is reflective of a theme of the contributions, is that the top end of the market would survive if Horse Racing Ireland was never there. Listowel, Mallow, Tramore, Kilbeggan, Gowran, Naas, Tipperary, Cashel or Thurles is where I think there is a need for attention by Horse Racing Ireland. Later this week, I will be meeting the organisation - as will the committee in due course - and that is a message that needs to be heard loud and clear.

I make no apology for saying this. In my first budget engagement with Horse Racing Ireland, I made the point to it clearly that I wanted a particular focus on the point to point sector. I think, in fairness, that it has responded over the last number of years. That is not to say that there is not more to be done. It is also the case in respect of the smaller people, if I might use that term, in the industry. The top end of the market would survive. We must bear in mind, however, that it is a very mobile industry. It might survive, but it might not be in Ireland and that is something we need to be very careful about as well. It is proper that we, holistically, get all the responses.

Deputy Martin Kenny made reference to one part of the country and land prices. If we look at a map of breeding establishments, they are in every one of the counties in the country. They may be more dominant in one more than another but they are in every county. It is about small breeders with three or four mares. They are the backbone of the point to point system and of the smaller tracks as well. I have been privileged to be in Listowel, Killarney and Mallow to acknowledge the capital investment Horse Racing Ireland has been involved in putting into smaller tracks. I know that is replicated, even though it is, perhaps, more challenging to come up with the matching funds.

If we turn then to the showpiece investment, the state of the art investment in the Curragh, that is not composed of matching funds. It is made up of one third, one third and one third. There is not a one-size-fits all approach. These are points the industry needs to hear and I will certainly carry the views expressed by the committee to my own engagement with the industry and I am sure the committee will express them directly to Horse Racing Ireland as well in due course.

On harness racing, in the context of the constraints under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 and the fact it cannot be funded under the statutory instrument that we are talking about today, I do not know if I misinterpreted Deputy Penrose's point but €1.28 billion is the cumulative amount up to this point. It is added to every year. It is a lot of money.