Mr. Brian Kavanagh:

One could use Dundalk 365 days of the year if one wished. What we are examining from the industry's point of view is, first, a regional variation. We have had many issues with trainers and their staff. If one has a runner in the last race in Dundalk at 8.45 p.m. or 9 p.m. on a Friday and one is based in Waterford, Limerick or east Cork, one's staff are not getting home until 2 a.m. the next morning. Second, there is a variety of surfaces developing as well so it is still under review.

The Deputy's point about the British national hunt horse is well made. Those horses are just not available. The total number of British-bred national hunt horses each year is 600 or 700 foals so the British rely on Irish and French horses. Their desire would be to revitalise the British breeding industry over time, and it will take time to come through the system, so they are not so dependent on the Irish product. As I said, the Irish product will always have a quality edge or advantage, but it would be naive of us not to think we are in a competitive environment. We do not want to be caught out by that.

We have spoken about the on-course bookmakers previously. It is encouraging. It is still a tough market for the bookmakers. The 11% figure has continued through to the third quarter of the year, but the total on-course betting figure is approximately one third of what it was at its peak. The figures for the Tote would be the same. The nature of betting has changed. It has gone mobile. People are able to bet at the race track with their telephone and that is difficult. We are trying to work with the on-course bookmakers. I and the board share the Deputy's view that a race meeting without bookmakers would not be an attractive place, but there is a real challenge in that area.

On the betting tax, I take the Deputy's point in regard to punters, but it is difficult to justify, to somebody who is not interested in betting, having VAT on food, books and everything else and yet talk about the tax free consumption of gambling. If the objective is to put in place proper funding structures rather than the Exchequer for things such as gambling addiction or to support sports such as horse racing, the consequence may be that one must question if it is wise to have such a liberal tax environment for gambling and to ask if that in some way fuels, and has fuelled, gambling levels over the years. It is about striking a balance.