Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator. First, I confirm that it is not tied to the betting tax. It is dealt with separately in the budgetary envelope. When it initially commenced, over 20 years ago, it would have been tied to it, but it has not been for a long time. The Senator is right that it is not just a sport. It is an industry, and it is very different from others because of that. There is a whole ecosystem and industry underneath the sport that drives the sport. The sport can be seen at racetracks, at point-to-point races, and at some of our premier racetracks at weekends. There is a breeding industry and a worldwide industry that is very much part of that. That creates significant employment and economic return. State funding is central to that. It makes sure that our racing sector is competitive and that we are attracting horses into the country from internationally. It makes us competitive compared with other countries that also invest in their industries through various means and mechanisms. If we want to stay at the top end of this across the globe and to maintain an industry that was built up in collaboration with the talent, skills and graft of the people in the sector over many years, working with the State, then this fund is important.

The Senator is right about the horse-racing sector, the thoroughbred sector, bloodstock, sport horses and so on, as well as greyhounds. Welfare and integrity are important. We take them seriously and attach conditionality about them to the funding.

Regarding how the funding is distributed, we have statutory boards in place, which are HRI and Rásaíocht Con Éireann. They are tasked with the stewardship of the sector and with engaging and collaborating with stakeholders in the sector to set the best possible course to make sure that we have effective spending. For example, in the horse racing sector last year, 70% of all horses that would have run at any level would have won prize money. It was quite broad, to different extents.