Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The horse and greyhound sector plays an important role throughout Ireland. It is an important contributor to the economy of rural Ireland and the enjoyment and recreation of rural life, and it supports thousands of jobs. However, the figure of 10,500 jobs in the greyhound industry is more than questionable and does not stand. Jim Power's report was produced six or seven years ago. Let us come into reality.

Given that €80 million has been allocated to the two industries, of which €60 million goes to the greyhound industry, it is important we acknowledge that it is taxpayers' funds which have been granted despite many competing demands across society for limited resources. The taxpayer is entitled to expect and get top value for money for this significant investment. I support the allocation of these necessary funds and recognise their importance. However, surely the aim of the industry is to reach a point at which it is less dependent on public funds and becomes self-financing. Representatives of the industry routinely tell us about the circular return of tax money collected from the betting industry. However, it is incorrect. Much of the betting industry is generated through a melee of other sports such as soccer, rugby and darts. Horse racing is one of the smaller contributors. Let us not cod people with lies.

I support Deputy Jackie Cahill in his point about all bookmakers being treated the same. They should be classified on the basis of turnover. Small bookmakers and offshore bookmakers are gone from the high streets. They have disappeared like nobody's business. Any bookmaker with a turnover lower than €2 million should be classified differently from the likes of Ladbrokes and BoyleSports.

HRI must ensure a value for money audit is undertaken without delay and assure people that any hiccups in corporate governance are fully addressed. We do not need any further spectacles regarding appointments at the top or elsewhere. All contractual issues should be fully complied with and should be airtight so Government policy is fully recognised as it is laid down and lessons are learned from the debacle we have witnessed. HRI must ensure adequate funding is provided to small racecourses throughout Ireland, such as Kilbeggan, Roscommon, Limerick, Sligo and Ballinrobe. This is the sport of kings, but it should not be for kings. It is time to get away from it. There is an old saying that one stops rubbing fat to the fat pig's bottom. Too many people are getting well off. It is time to get it down to the very grassroots. They wanted to bring in point-to-points under the regulation. I stopped it, and I am very proud of that.

IGB is to receive more than €280,000 per week from the taxpayer this year. A plethora of reports have pointed out significant concerning issues and shortcomings in the industry, which has alarmed many of the stakeholders. The Indecon report, the Morris report and an excellent report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the excellent chairmanship of the Minister of State, Deputy Andrew Doyle, shone a light on significant issues in the greyhound industry in a number of areas, including integrity, doping, medication and general governance.

The heads of a new Bill for the sector will be ready to go in the new year, and the sooner the better. Hopefully, it will give us all, particularly the stakeholders in the industry, an opportunity to turn over a new leaf and tackle once and for all the use of prohibited substances and ensure welfare objectives are examined and maintained and regulatory controls are strengthened. It is timely to update the legislation. The current legislation was introduced in 1958, almost 60 years ago. No wonder things run out of control. We have two extremes. We have no regulation, or we regulate things out of existence. There is no such thing as a happy medium. This is a major fault. Bureaucrats then get in and regulate things out of existence. When all this is addressed, there will be a renewed confidence in the industry.

The stakeholders are very concerned about the future, particularly in the dog industry. The old figure of 10,500 employed in the industry is bandied about. We need full answers, not incomplete or half-baked answers. IGB must be forthcoming in addressing shortcomings and listening to concerned voices when they raise issues. They should not always question the motives of people when they raise issues. People such as Deputy Martin Kenny and others raise issues with the best of motives and I take no issue with them. The Minister has the national greyhound consultative forum which brings together all the stakeholders. It should not be just another pro formatalking shop. It should have teeth and strong powers of recommendation, which IGB should hear. IGB listens only to what it wants to listen to. It comes here and presents us with fairy tales. This must stop. There is money there and IGB must account for it in a proper and efficient way.

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