Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are not sure on that point but I expect it did. It was a report that looked at the full economic value of the industry, the full range of employment and the full economic benefit. It would be incongruous for it to not include the economic activity related to stallion fees, which are a massive part of the sector and an important part because of where they place us in breeding worldwide.

On the funding, when we look at the figure of €1.8 billion of economic activity and benefit and the 30,000 or so direct and indirect jobs, funding of approximately €70 million from the State is part of that and is contributing to it. That is a significant return on the State's investment. The State investment is important because in other countries we compete with, be it the US, Australia, France or Japan, state investment is significant and, in most cases, more than we put in. There is of course the UK as well. We must compete. The approach taken by the State over the years is to work with the industry and develop the innate capacities in the country from a point of view of our land but also of our people and the horsemanship skills. That has been crucial to bringing us to where we are. Our thoroughbred sector is in the premier division worldwide and the State investment and persistent policy has been important in developing that. Were we to seek to remove that we would undermine what has been achieved. We should value where we are at and look to build on it. That is why it is important we have invested, and continue to invest, in the sector via the Horse and Greyhound Fund.