Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A negative focus was brought to bear on the horseracing industry earlier this year. Revelations from the abattoir in County Kildare shocked and sickened people in every corner of the country. They portrayed an image of horrendous practices that tainted the sport of horseracing. People were justifiably sickened and disgusted. Ireland is recognised globally as a nation of animal lovers. To see issues of barbaric animal cruelty come to light brought forth a cry of national outrage. This is not a reflection of who Irish people are. This is not what Irish people will tolerate.

The issues highlighted in the stomach-churning programme needed to be exposed. Not one person I have met or spoken to will contradict this. Screening it created awareness. It also awakened a vigilance that will ensure such practices will not be tolerated in future. Holding these people responsible and ensuring they face the appropriate penalties is not only expected but demanded by animal welfare groups and the general public. While anything less will not be acceptable, to penalise the sports of horse and greyhound racing based on this exposé makes little sense. To argue against increased funding support for horse and greyhound racing is to dispel the role they play in Irish culture. It risks undermining the returns these sports bring to the economy consistently year after year.

Support from the State to the horse and greyhound industries is a significant and important financial outlay in the budget. The money allocated to both industries is an investment. The increased allocation to €99.1 million for the year ahead is being welcomed in both organisations, particularly by Greyhound Racing Ireland. A constructive marketing and promotion campaign has seen attendance figures improving at many tracks during the year. Their revenue intake is steadily increasing and Government funding, such as that provided to the track in Kilkenny, will enable the tracks to implement their development projects and achieve the goals they remain committed to.

The budget allocation has also fuelled the determination to make provision for retired greyhounds. The average age for a greyhound to retire is three years to five years. These retired dogs, due to their gentle nature, make excellent pets. They are well socialised through their close contact with people and are low maintenance in terms of grooming.

At such a young age, they have many years of companionship to offer to dog lovers. The provision of additional funding is necessary to provide a dedicated sanctuary and rescue centre for retired greyhounds.

Focusing on a rehoming strategy and a funding model should be a shared responsibility between the greyhound industry and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Private tracks such as Thurles and Clonmel are every bit as important to owners and breeders as the main tracks. Like businesses in every sector, they are grappling with increased costs and overheads. GRI should increase the operational grants provided to private tracks.

The horse racing industry remains strong and thriving across County Tipperary and the country. It continues to build on the stellar reputation that Ireland holds across the world. Few people not directly involved in horse racing realise the benefits this sport delivers to our overall economy. The horse racing industry across Ireland generates an average of €1.8 billion in gross expenditure annually. This fund supports more than 10,000 Irish jobs. Thousands more jobs allied to horse racing depend on and benefit from the services provided. Top-level equine vets, farriers, horse transport drivers, stable hands and grooms are among those employed by the industry. Additionally, hundreds of people are employed at race meetings, where they provide track maintenance, catering, betting facilities and carry out a myriad of other tasks that must be performed to ensure everything, quite literally, runs smoothly.

Ireland's racing industry is one of our biggest and most consistent tourist attractions. Race lovers flock to Ireland to attend race meetings, resulting in a massive boost in revenue for the transport, hospitality and retail industries. Ireland also has an impressive and much-envied global horse breeding reputation, which results in the demand to have horses bred here continuing to grow year after year. All combined, Ireland's equine industry provides a yearly revenue input exceeding €900 million to the Irish economy. The annual level of investment in horse racing from the Government pales in comparison with the money it returns year on year. Without this investment, our capacity to capitalise on what Ireland has to offer would be seriously diminished. In a nutshell, any decision to reduce financial support for horse and greyhound racing would be unwise and counterproductive to our economy. I welcome the allocation in this year's budget.

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