Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wholeheartedly endorse the amendment tabled by my party colleague, Deputy Michael McGrath, although ideally I would like to see no increase coming into effect. We must acknowledge the role played by bookmakers in our communities. They provide much-needed employment. In the early years, bookmakers were mainly associated with horse racing but they have now expanded into all types of sport and many provide direct sponsorship. Some of the funds from the increase in the betting tax will go directly into the pocket of Horse Racing Ireland, HRI, but if one goes racing these days one will see that the crowds are small except when the bookmakers provide sponsorship. That is how the tracks attract customers. I have noticed that at certain festival meetings but also in my own backyard in Cork. Paddy Power recently sponsored a race and gave out free tickets. If the HRI got the money for that race meeting, there would not have been any additional people at it. Sponsorship entices people to go to meetings and is an invaluable resource. This in turn generates other indirect revenue through spending at the courses on hospitality and so on which also benefits the Exchequer. We recently got rid of one source of sponsorship for sport by way of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill and the sources of funding for such sponsorship are drying up. This tax will further reduce sponsorship options for communities and sporting organisations, large and small.

I ask the Minister to consider, as part of this review, the proposal made on gross profits. I also urge him to accept the amendment and come back to the House in three months' time so that we can see what damage has been done.

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