Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

I do not support the motion in its present form because the Government has not put a proper and detailed case for committing this level of taxpayers' money in justifiable way. We need transparency with regard to the horse racing and the greyhound industries. I do not have time to discuss this in great detail but when a delegation from Bord na gCon came before the Committee of Public Accounts I asked very severe questions and was not entirely happy with all the answers. There remains a serious question about the regulation of that industry and whether the level of investment, which constitutes a large percentage of the total income, is justified.

Thousands of workers are employed in areas connected with horse and greyhound racing. Many unfortunately earn exploitation wages or are temporary workers and get a raw deal. It is undeniable that the privileged elites who deal with horse racing in particular, who own prize stallions and thoroughbred horses, have for decades been pampered and petted, particularly by Fianna Fáil-dominated Governments. As a representative of working class people I am scandalised that multi-millionaire stallion owners have tax-free profits from those activities while the stable lads and girls who work for them are taxed on the minimum wage. The Minister did not suggest today that this situation might end while he commits a further €300 million of taxes, including those from the stable lads and girls, to support the millionaires in the industry.

What distinguishes the horse racing industry is arbitrary in that leading Fianna Fáil politicians going back to Mr. Charles Haughey followed racing, were involved in breeding and selling thoroughbred horses, and hob-nobbed with the high rollers, including holders of Ansbacher accounts and others, who rolled over to Cheltenham in the early 1980s and 1990s to spend the money they should have paid in taxes. It, therefore, gave huge privileges to the industry. It is as arbitrary as that. Perhaps we are fortunate that their passion was not rearing budgies or parrots as every millionaire's mansion might have a State funded, tax free aviary attached to it. It might provide a better quality parrot for the Government back benches but that would be the only advantage. This type of privilege, over which the Government continues to stand, has to be challenged.

Every penny in taxation on the industry is to be put back to support and subsidise the top echelons, in particular. Workers in Aer Lingus who have paid more in taxes at certain points in the history of the airline than all the farmers in the State would be very happy to see a level of investment similar to this. Instead, an attempt is being made to kick 1,350 of them down the road by the Government at a time when they are presenting it with a €90 million surplus. Will we see the necessary investment by the Government to subvent these important jobs and communities as willingly as in the case of other sectors?

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