Results 481-500 of 2,214 for speaker:Joe Flaherty

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (18 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 112. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the progress being made to acquire an IDA Ireland purpose-built facility in Longford town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16882/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: 82. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider the return of community welfare offices to principal secondary towns in provincial Ireland (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16893/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I thank the speakers for coming in. I agree with the Chair that the IHRA's submission is comprehensive. There is one thing that is always queried. What is the DNA, the breeding, of the typical trotter?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: For the IHRA's stock, it would bring semen in from the Continent. Is that what it does?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: We cannot look at the IHRA in isolation from on-road sulky racing. Do they use similar breeding to harness racers or do they just use traditional cob with a thoroughbred cross?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Mr. Flanagan referred to road racing. Does he think it is too optimistic to think we could encourage people who race on the road to come into a controlled setting and race on a track? They will have to look at a different stock of horse, will they not?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I do not want it to become all about the road-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: The witnesses have done a lot and Mr. Flanagan has a very good story to tell. I would be supportive of the tote licence. I cannot see where the issue is. I think it is an opportunity for the IHRA to grow the sport. With road racing, an awful lot of money is bet on those races. If the IHRA had a tote facility, I think that would be an attraction as well. Thoroughbred is very much niche...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: On that, I know that the IHRA met the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and has been getting favourable overtures. Is there a definitive response from the Department at this time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: We will follow up with the Minister, Deputy McGrath. As regards the IHRA's tracks, it has acquired the land in Cork. That will be all-weather, similar to Armagh. Is that right?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: What is that? Asphalt?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: The IHRA has one in Dublin that it is doing in a joint venture. Aspirationally, Mr. Flanagan is saying five tracks in Ireland, is it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: I do not think they will let the trotting back. That might be too aspirational. On that point, we have some closed greyhound tracks. Are they too small for trotting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Too small in width or just not long enough? The IHRA is looking at an 800 m track, is it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: The IHRA did not replicate the Dundalk experience after 2017.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Has the IHRA looked for sports capital funding for any of its projects to date?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: That is the regional application.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Very good. As regards the IHRA's other sites, it will probably look at something in the west of Ireland and something in the midlands to give it-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: In limbo.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing: Irish Harness Racing Association (17 Apr 2024)

Joe Flaherty: Yes.