Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Jim O'Callaghan referred to young people and the impact of the closure of sport on them. I commend young people for their incredible volunteerism during the lockdown. Their sporting organisations throughout Ireland have raised thousands upon thousands of euro for charitable organisations. In west Cork, where I am from, members of sports organisations and clubs have taken part in 5 km runs and sit-up and push-up challenges and they have raised thousands for the local community hospital there. I take this opportunity to commend them for that.

Among the most popular sports where I am from in west Cork are the equine sports of harness racing and trotting. It is the highlight of the summer for many people. They spend their summer Sundays harness racing. When it was announced that racing would return in phase 2, the equine community was, of course, overjoyed, but the harness racing fraternity found out only later that the announcement did not apply to them. Unfortunately, the return of their sport was pushed out to phase 3. This is completely unfair and it makes absolutely no sense.

I welcome the news that thoroughbred racing has returned behind closed doors. I also welcome the news that greyhound racing has returned behind closed doors. I called for this repeatedly. Why, however, are harness racing and trotting being discriminated against by comparison with other sports? Right across Europe and the rest of the globe, harness racing is treated in the same way as thoroughbred racing. Eighteen countries across Europe treat it in the same way and are allowing races to be run behind closed doors. Why is that not the case here? The sad fact is that harness racing has always been treated as the poor relation of thoroughbred racing. This needs to stop, particularly when it comes to funding. I acknowledge that funding comes under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine but the point has to be made that harness racing is always treated as the poor relation. This inequality needs to stop.

The Irish Harness Racing Association has submitted a 70-page document detailing how harness racing can resume behind closed doors. I believe it is on the Taoiseach's desk. Could the Minister please bring my message to the Cabinet, including the Taoiseach? Could he please let this great sport resume behind closed doors and stop the unequal treatment of two sports that are very similar?

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