Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and his officials and I also welcome the House and Greyhound Racing Fund. As Deputy Cahill said, Fianna Fáil will support the motion. The Minister's statement gives all the figures and there is no need to rehash them. Deputy Penrose mentioned that the fund is probably cost neutral because of the revenue from the betting tax. However, betting tax aside, the fund is not only cost neutral; it is a good investment when one takes into consideration the employment it creates in rural Ireland in areas where there are not many jobs available. With the tax returns and the tourism returns and, indeed, the exports of our thoroughbreds, it is like the old say, "You have to speculate to accumulate", and from the Government's perspective this is one of the better speculations. It is a very worthwhile investment. I have an interest as chairman of Kilbeggan racecourse, and while I appreciate that we had Brexit budget and somewhat neutral, I was disappointed that the HGRF was not increased at a time Bord na gCon has made Trojan efforts to get its house in order. That comes with added expense for next year to get the greyhound industry to where everybody wants it to be. We all appreciate, as Deputy Penrose said, that 99% of the people in both horse racing and greyhound racing are horse owners or dog owners and they are good, genuine people. Their hearts and souls are in the industry. There are a few rogues who bring everything down, and they need to be weeded out but that results in added expense. Through the implementation of the recent Greyhound Racing Act, this is probably a year where Bord na gCon could have done with a little bit more. While I accept and appreciate that it was a Brexit budget, it is unfortunate that there could not have been a few more bob put aside.

We had HRI officials before us last week, and they pointed out that the National Equine Centre in Johnstown is not fit for purpose and there is need for a major overhaul and major investment. It is in their plans to do that along with examining the viability of a second all-weather track. I hope the fund can be increased with a view to enhancing both industries.

I do not want to play politics on this but while I welcome the support for both industries through the fund, it is unfortunate that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in a knee-jerk reaction turned around and asked Fáilte Ireland to take greyhound racing off its recommended list of activities. If the Government is supporting the industry, it should support it. One does not kick somebody when he or she is down. As the Minister responsible for both industries, it might not be any harm if someone could have a word with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and get that reversed because the money being provided through the HGRF is only a portion of their income. The industry bodies have to more than match that funding through their own income, and tourist attendance is a big one for the greyhound business. If Government is giving a handout on the one hand and then discouraging people from attending on the other, it is a bit of a contradiction. The Minister could take this up with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and try to have this change reversed in the interest of the greyhound industry.

Finally, has the Minister any contingency for a hard Brexit? Brian Kavanagh told us last week that the British Horseracing Authority, BHA, is actively promoting the development of breeding with a view to moving away from, or not being as dependent on, the Irish thoroughbred national hunt horse. BHA is thinking ahead of Brexit. We are dependent on the British market at our sales. If the BHA was to fulfil what it is promoting, it would be a big knock-back for the industry, and that would be directly Brexit-related. If the tripartite agreement was to go wrong, considering the logistics of getting horses to England or through England to France or whatever, is there a contingency plan in place because more support would be needed in a bad Brexit scenario?