Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are splitting hairs in relation to regulation and non-regulation. It is standard practice in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, when I was involved in aviation, when one was tendering for a contract. Enterprise Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Fáilte Ireland and Bord Iascaigh Mhara do the same. One has to prepare three years of projections, to be sure of this funding or the grant-aiding authority must be comfortable that this organisation is going to be here in a year, two or three years' time. This is standard practice in the Department from my own personal experience, and rightly so. I believe there were flags there in respect of the FAI.

I have asked the Minister about this point previously in the Seanad and one of my colleagues also has mentioned it, namely, the €16.8 million allocated for greyhounds in this year's budget a month or six weeks ago. I cannot for the life of me understand why the FAI is getting €2.8 million or whatever the figure is. The Minister told me, when we discussed at the time, that this money comes out of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine's funding. Would the Minister speak to his colleague, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Marine, to ascertain whether this funding could come under his Department's aegis - because a significant amount of the whole greyhound sector comes under his Department - and that some form of re-balancing would take place?