James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Murphy touched on a serious issue. I am involved in point-to-point racing and disclosing that is important. The insurance costs in that are frightening. Different bodies within racing look after each aspect of it, but there is a collective need to seriously examine that problem. I am getting many calls from point-to-point committees, not only from within my constituency. There is a long affinity with racing in Cork East. In fact, the steeplechase originated in Doneraile in my constituency. What the committees are telling me is a huge concern. Many of them are worried about folding. Point-to-point committees have been impacted already. That has a knock-on impact for small breeders in particular. Racing is a valuable industry with many major players who have a lot of money. However, for smaller breeders involved in racing, of which there are hundreds of in my constituency, that is a huge concern. They want to put horses into training with local trainers. It keeps an ecosystem going. I know I am preaching almost to the converted. However, there is an aspect of concern when it comes to insurance that they have been left out on a limb and that has to be conveyed. We are all aware that there has been difficult litigation taken against some clubs.

That is a concern of mine. We could do a lot more to support that particular facet of the industry. If Mr. O'Loughlin and Ms Eade have anything to say in response that, I would appreciate it.