Results 6,401-6,420 of 23,975 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I agree.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: No, I have not. It has been established since 2001, when the Act was put in place, and both organisations have ongoing funding requirements every year. There have been small increases year on year over the period. It is important that there is certainty for both industries. On how the annual figure for the funding is arrived at, both HRI and RCÉ make pre-budget submissions. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Is that something Deputy Carthy would propose or would he propose a different percentage split? What are his thoughts on the matter?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Provision for the 80-20 split is in the Act. A legal change is possible and we could change the legislation to do that. It is important to have a level of certainty there for both organisations as to their funding on a year-to-year basis. We have worked to ensure that there are incremental improvements. It is also important for both organisations that they leverage what is happening in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: As I say, we would-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: No. We oversee and engage with the organisations on an ongoing basis. The objective is to ensure that both are maximising their capacity to grow and to generate employment and economic activity. There are two sides to the coin. In the context of the 80-20 split, trying to support both organisations and give them certainty is important. There would be significant uncertainty if the other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Both organisations have to plan long term. We try to ensure that they both have strategic plans and then we work with them to fund those. Certainty in respect of what is coming down the track, in as much as there can be on the basis of the economic situation and Government finances year to year, has value.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I will check if we have the information on the total prize money.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: HRI projected that €42.1 million of its allocation of €56 million for 2022 would be allocated to prize money.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am taking away the 20% for integrity and welfare which-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Of the €56 million, €42 million is allocated to prize money.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I am working off the figures we have here. So the total prize money pool of €51.5 million showed a reduction of €16 million on the previous year's total of €67 million. The owners' contribution was down by €3.4 million. The overall pool in the outgoing year was €67 million. That was the total prize funding.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: This is always going to be a contested space, because no matter how it is sliced and diced, there will always be people within a sector saying it should be done this way or that way. It is about getting the balance right in relation to how that is done so that all types of grassroots, be it farmers, trainers or owners, are supported, all the way right up to having top-class races as well...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It is important for that to be done every year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: That is the role Horse Racing Ireland has. It is made up of representatives from across the sector. As a State we look at trying to give consistent funding that allows it to develop. Within Horse Racing Ireland the objective year on year is to assess the success of what is happening and engage with the Department around funding as well. The capacity is there to adjust that year on year....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: What you try and do is make sure that in terms of the races, whether they be small, medium or large races in different parts of the country, the support is spread well so there are opportunities for all types of trainers, owners, horses and breeders to benefit from the funding. The aim is to drive it on and give encouragement to everyone. It is there throughout the grassroots and there are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: I have a couple of figures on the foal levy. Last year 38% of foals were charged at just under €100, 51% at between €150 and €300, and 11% at between €350 and €600. It is a structure that has been in place for a long time. The uptake and acceptance of it is strong in the sector. Like with everything, there are different views and it is one on which I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It is the first time that question has been put to me. It is not something I have looked at in detail. It is something the committee has considered strongly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2022: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Nov 2022)

Charlie McConalogue: It is something I will reflect on further, but I do not have a position on it at the moment.