Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

All of us in Fianna Fáil absolutely welcome this debate and fully support the motion. The only difficulty I have with it is that I wish an awful lot more money was being put into the greyhound and horse racing industries. I have never heard as much horse manure in my life than what I heard from some of the previous speakers who obviously do not have a clue about rural Ireland. They do not have a bull's notion about the impact and the vital role in the rural and regional economy provided by the greyhound industry and the horse racing industry. The horse and greyhound industries should be recognised for the considerable contribution they make to rural economic activity and employment in all corners of the country.

I acknowledge and thank the previous Minister for agriculture, Deputy Charlie McConalogue, who allocated over €1 million for the Kilkenny dog track last year to upgrade facilities. The facilities for patrons were desperately in need of upgrade and a €1 million investment by Government has upgraded the stadium with absolute top-class facilities. The track itself is renowned for its racing surface but the facilities for the large numbers attending races there were in need of major upgrade and that has been done. I had the pleasure of attending Kilkenny greyhound track. I do not know if any of the other speakers have been at the track before but I had the pleasure of attending it last Friday night. It was absolutely top class. As we approach the 80th anniversary, I encourage all people in Carlow, Kilkenny and surrounding counties to come and visit Kilkenny greyhound track and see everything it has to offer.

I also take the opportunity here to acknowledge the significant contribution Gowran Park racecourse, led by its general manager Eddie Scally, makes to the local economy and community. It is one of Ireland's leading racecourses and it boasts Thyestes Day and Red Mills Day as two of its marquee events. I invite both Ministers - the Minister of State, Deputy Healy Rae, and the Minister, Deputy Heydon - to come down to Gowran Park and Kilkenny greyhound track. They will have an unbelievable experience. They will be met by the hospitality of the people there, the people from rural Ireland, whom I represent and who will welcome them with open arms. We have to invest in the greyhound industry and we have to invest in the horse racing industry. We have superstars like Rachael Blackmore and Willie Mullins. Are people really proposing not investing in these sectors which support 30,000 jobs? I will not sit in here and listen to lectures from people who do not have a clue about rural Ireland.

See this speech in context