Mr. Brian Kavanagh:

For the record, because Deputy Harrington asked a straight question, "The Board are mindful of the ambitions of the Irish Harness Racing Association to develop their sport in Ireland and are not against that". I said it also in my presentation at the start.

I also stated, on behalf of the board, "As regards the long term however, the Board, which represents all of the key stakeholder organisations [the board I represent represents owners, trainers, breeders and race courses throughout the country] ... remains firmly of the view that harness racing should not be staged on an authorised racecourses". In "the long term", there is a degree of separation there.

With regard to Deputy Martin Ferris' questions, it is not correct to use the term "snobbery". We have engaged with the harness racing representatives, we are carefully looking after our own responsibilities and we are going through a process in a clear and cogent fashion. I believe the funding of horse racing and the funding of harness racing are separate issues and it is wrong to associate the two together.