Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 22 September 2022

Public Accounts Committee

2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Horse Racing Ireland: Financial Statements 2020

9:30 am

Ms Suzanne Eade:

On attendances again, it is very hard. Some racecourses have done very well around their festivals. The Curragh went through a few years where it lost its connection, perhaps, with their fans. That is something management will have to work hard on going into 2023. They tried different things in 2022, such as with ticket prices, offerings, weekends in August and giving lots of tickets to people in the area to welcome them back. They will have to invest to grow back those attendances next year. HRI will definitely be there to help it get that back.