Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Football Association of Ireland, FAI, has commissioned a report into the horse and greyhound racing fund. Apparently, the report states that as a country we have spent €1.5 billion on this fund over the past 20 years, of which €1 billion has come from a direct levy on betting and €0.5 billion has come from the Exchequer. Some 80% of that goes to the horse racing industry and 80% of that is spent on prize money. Effectively, the vast bulk of this €1.5 billion spent in the last 20 years on the horse and greyhound racing fund has been spent on prize money.

Meanwhile, we send athletes to represent this country internationally, who play week in, week out in pathetic facilities. We are sending a team to the World Cup in July and August this year who play week in, week out in substandard facilities.

I am asking the Taoiseach, and I see the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is here, if he will commission a review-----

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