Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 4 May 2023
Public Accounts Committee
Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine - 2021 Financial Statements
Fishery Harbour Centres
9:30 am
Mr. Brendan Gleeson:
In a way, the horse and greyhound fund is a bit of a misnomer. Up to 2009, there were hypothecated taxes from betting tax, and they were given to the horse and greyhound sector proportionately according to the provisions in the legislation, which require an 80:20 split. Really, the situation now is that there is a Vote allocation for horses and greyhounds every year. It just so happens that it pretty much matches the receipts from betting tax. In a way, "incidental" is the wrong word to use about that, but that is the way it is. There is a submission every year from the relevant bodies. The Estimates process is entered in the normal way and we come out with a payment. I think the grant is now slightly less than the receipts from betting tax. That is where we are now with it.