Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 4 May 2017
Public Accounts Committee
Bord na gCon: Financial Statements 2015
9:00 am
Mr. Michael Murnane:
That was a carryover. The prize money was increased in 2013 by 20%. In 2014 the results did not show any commercial increase in spite of the increase in prize money. It was obvious during 2014 that Bord na gCon would face a substantial loss. The board took the reluctant decision mid-year to reduce prize money. In addition, one of the recommendations from Indecon was to recalibrate the number of races and reduce the number of loss-making race nights. That was completed in 2015. Since we had fewer race meetings and fewer races, there was a reduction in prize money. The business stabilised in 2015. The board was in a position to offer a 25% increase in ordinary race nights. These are graded races and there is a wider spread.