Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We welcome the Labour Party amendment and will not oppose it, as it is similar to the one brought by Deputies Kerrane and Mythen last year. The same review was sought by Sinn Féin last year and the Minister committed to carrying one out. He also committed to it several times at committee meetings, but no results have been forthcoming.

There is little room for doubt about the fact that horse and greyhound racing is of benefit to many rural communities. As a proud Tipperary man, I have no doubt about its benefits to County Tipperary. Having said that, we have a responsibility to ensure that this significant sum of money, which increases each year, is allocated properly by HRI and RCÉ.

I will speak about the review of where the funding goes within the sector, how we can be sure smaller operators in the sector are not crowded out of funding by prize funds, and animal welfare.

The Minister told the agriculture committee that a consultancy report on the IHRB aspect of the funding is awaited from Mazars, which is to inform a wider review. That review still has not started. Does the Minister of State not think the public genuinely deserves a level of oversight of the industry that provides an immediately recognisable level of transparency? Does he have a timeline for when the Mazars report is due? Does he have a timeline in mind for the initiation of the review upon receipt of that report?

That brings me to where the funding goes because there are continual questions about whether prize money, which often goes to big business owners, is being disproportionately drawn away from smaller operators. We need clarity and transparency in this. That is a further crucial aspect of any review.

Before I turn to animal welfare, I recognise those in the horse and greyhound racing sectors who are committed to the welfare of their animals. The vile actions of a few must not tarnish the efforts of the many, yet we must face up to the need to commit more substantially to welfare and to take a no tolerance approach to the horrendous incidents of abuse that arise. We have to give as much time and effort to prevention as we do to cure. The recent reports we have seen about the mistreatment of horses reinforce that.

The Minister recently told the agriculture committee that RCÉ told him it is exceeding the 10% limit on welfare. It appears that is enough for the Minister not to increase the allocation. Is that how this is decided? If it is, we need that review more than ever as it seems like a rule of thumb approach, which is similar to the infamous 20:80 split that has never been fully explained.

I was contacted by PAWS Animal Rescue in Mullinahone, County Tipperary. It is intent on carrying out remedial works but no funding has been given to it for this. The animal welfare grant programme is not for capital or infrastructural purposes, so if its application to that programme is approved - I implore the Minister of State to ensure it is approved - the grant will be used to pay off its vet bill of €50,000, which is likely to increase to almost €60,000 by the time the grant issues. While this would give it some leeway in directing whatever meagre resources it has towards the structural improvements, the fact remains that no funding is given to these organisations for structural work. Funding needs to be made available for improvements of this nature. Let me remind the House that these organisations often shoulder the burden the RCÉ might not. Will the Department bear this in mind when considering not only the fund we are speaking about today, but in recognising and adequately supporting independent animal welfare organisations that rely on fundraising? In addition, I appeal to the Department to work positively with PAWS and live up to the remarks the Minister frequently asserts in this Chamber and at the agriculture committee about the importance of animal welfare. If we are ever to significantly address animal welfare generally - I do not confine this to the horse and greyhound industry - the Department needs to be realistic, stop sticking its head in the sand and address the need that is there, rather than keeping these vital services unsure of the avoidable obstacles they may face year to year.

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