Mr. Gerard Dollard:

I thank the Deputy and will make a number of comments.

I take the points made on the betting tax as to the increase from 1% to 2% in 2019. I am unsure what revenue accrues to greyhounds and to our tote operation and to the fact that what we have nine meetings now being carried on the SIS platform. Greyhound racing is now much more open to betting activity than it would have been heretofore. There is an income from that but I cannot say what size it is.

On the wider issue, I am not making the argument on the basis of the cultural value of the industry but on the basis of the economic, social and cultural value of the industry. I referred to the Power report earlier of November 2017 on the economic and financial significance of the industry which report gave an economic impact estimate of €302 million. The receipts from PAYE and PRSI alone from people involved in the industry were estimated at €32 million. I take the point that is being made but there is another side to it as well.