Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

On-line betting and technology certainly has changed the nature of many industries, including this one. The Deputy will recall this goes back to 2001, when the House enacted the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act. It considered it to be a formula to — pardon the pun — ring-fence the income and support for the horse and greyhound racing industries. The view taken in 2001 was that the formula was a guaranteed level of finance based on excise duty on off-course betting in the preceding year, subject to a particular level of shortfalls. This has led to Horse Racing Ireland receiving €61 million from the fund in 2008.

As I noted in my response, an opportunity exists to review the position. The current round of the fund is due to expire at the end of this year and a review of the fund will be undertaken in the course of 2008. If it is decided that an extension of the fund is needed, that will require the approval of this House by way of legislation and obviously it also will require the support of the Government. There will be an opportunity to review the position. This matter was examined carefully in 2001 when it was felt that given the importance of the industry, its size, the employment it offers and so on, a formula was needed for the future financing of the industry and that formula was arrived at in the 2001 legislation.

Everyone should be slow to disturb it if it is succeeding. However, that would not prevent the Government from reviewing it to ensure it is succeeding and that review is under way.

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