Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To insert the following after "20th October, 2021": "; that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine shall:

- conduct a full review of the Exchequer funding to the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund with a view to examining the social and economic impact of the fund, including the efficacy of the fund in supporting the development of both sectors, the broadest cohort of those involved in both sectors and rural communities; also examine whether the use of the fund to subsidise prize funds represents best value for money; and the efficacy of the fund in ensuring the highest levels of animal welfare standards; and

- report to Dáil Éireann within six months of these Regulations being adopted on the findings of the review."

The horse and greyhound racing sectors are success stories that should be celebrated by people across Ireland and they should, rightly, be supported by the Government through direct financial measures. There are, however, clear issues with how this fund is delivered. This has been evidenced by the fact that the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine recently held numerous meetings further to allegations about animal welfare matters within the horse racing sector. The subsequent report of the committee acknowledged that while the vast majority of those in the sector operate to the highest international standards, there are practices and structures that could undermine public confidence.

The Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund has increased considerably over the years. The allocation in 2014 was €54 million and this compares with €88 million being proposed by the Minister today. By any standards that is a huge sum and it should be matched with absolute accountability and transparency. Put succinctly, if the Dáil is to approve the expenditure of nearly €90 million of taxpayers' money, we must have full confidence that the funding is having the most beneficial impact for everyone involved in the sector and the wider economy. We must be clear that standards for animal welfare are above reproach.

Until 2009, the amount of funding was linked directly to betting taxes but the allocation is no longer calculated in such a manner. As such, the automatic 80:20 split between the horse and greyhound sectors is increasingly bizarre. For any sector, those seeking Government funding must outline exactly what they are planning to deliver with taxpayers' money. This includes day-to-day costs, what would be spent on infrastructure or strategic development goals or how the success of the spending is to be measured. With this fund, however, the Minister would have us believe the best return every year comes from an exact 80:20 division between two organisations. Surely logic dictates there would be some variance in either direction as both organisations seek to develop their sectors at different times.

Sinn Féin's concerns regarding the efficacy of these funds are laid bare with a simple glance at the Horse Racing Ireland, HRI, allocation of prize money in any year, as there is normally only a difference of 1% or 2%. Where does the prize money end up? Looking at the awards over the past three years, the same small number of elite trainers are raking in the bulk of the fund. In 2019, against an allocation of €67 million, HRI had a prize fund of €66 million, of which breeders only received €385,000. At the same time, the most successful horse race trainer received €7,792,083, or nearly 10% of the entire fund across both horse and greyhound racing. I do not mean any disrespect but I am not convinced that particular trainer needs any more of an incentive from the taxpayer to be involved in the sector. At the same time, the backbone of Irish horse racing - those involved with horse and pony racing - are crying out for small amounts to merely survive. From speaking with many breeders and others involved with the greyhound sector, I hear similar reports that they do not see the benefits of substantial State funding.

Again, Sinn Féin fundamentally agrees with providing investment to both the horse and greyhound racing but we are just not convinced that this or previous Governments have done enough to ensure the funding benefits the largest number of people across throughout the sectors and rural Ireland more broadly. Equally, we are not convinced the Minister has adequate oversight of the fund generally. We are certainly not convinced the Government has seen to it that safeguards are put in place not just to ensure animal welfare standards are met but that, in light of this significant investment, we are recognised as setting the global standard. That is why we are asking the Government to accept our amendment in order that the Minister would conduct a full review of the social and economic impact of the fund, including an examination of whether the current manner of distributing the fund is most appropriate to deliver the greatest benefit to the largest number of people across those sectors and the rural communities that depend on them. That is in addition to ensuring animal welfare standards and oversight are more than adequate.

Under the current model I fear the big lads will continue to get bigger and stronger while most of those involved with these important sectors will see little benefit from substantial taxpayer investment. This needs to change and I hope and trust the Government will accept our amendment.

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