Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I had to fight very hard to get the amount for this fund. Everyone accepts the Exchequer cannot continue to put the resources that it has already. We all accept it is not just a sport, but a hugely important and significant industry. The Minister for Finance is directly involved in examining the taxation issues surrounding the industry, which I welcome.

I am deeply frustrated with the general across-the-board support from the industry. I have spoken to all the players and everyone blames everybody else. That is no longer going to cut any ice. We are seeing an industry that has boomed over the past several years with large amounts of money being bet on telephone and the Internet outside of the country. I believe that so much resources are being spent on the industry that a small percentage from it would more than adequately assist the horse and greyhound fund. I hope this will be resolved because the Exchequer will not continue to add to the fund in the future.

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