Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone who contributed to the debate from different perspectives. I want to touch on the points made by Deputy Cairns on the comments she had to put up with, which were simply unacceptable. The Rásaíocht Con Éireann member who made those comments has apologised and withdrawn those comments. They were sexist and offensive. Deputy Cairns should not have had to experience them. I certainly will be writing to the chair of the board to express my repugnance at those comments, to remind all board members of their responsibilities for high standards, and to ensure there is no repeat of such instances in the future.

There has been a healthy debate. In my opening comments I outlined the fact the horse and greyhound racing industries support significant employment. The thoroughbred industry is worth €1.9 billion to the economy, with some 29,000 direct and indirect jobs benefiting from it. Nearly 12,500 people derive economic benefit from the greyhound industry. This is the fourth time in the course of one week that I have debated this particular fund and issues raised in both Houses of the Oireachtas and at the Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine. It has received thorough interrogation, and rightly so. I am aware Members have varying views on the matter. Due to the time today, I cannot address all the comments, but the issues received a very thorough airing in the committee.

Members on different sides of the House have different views House, and I come back on Deputy Carthy's view. There is a well-known saying, "To run with the hare and to hunt with the hound". That certainly represents Sinn Féin's view on the matter. After he voted against last year's level of funding, Deputy Brian Stanley said, shame on Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party which were successful in having the motion passed. He said Sinn Féin would not support such obscene levels of funding and yet this year Sinn Féin has no problem with funding it called obscene last year. Now it says it simply does not want the increase in funding. If the phrase, "To run with the hare and hunt with the hound" was ever apt, it is certainly so in this particular instance.

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