Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The jobs announcement by Paddy Power coincides with the visit yesterday by the Irish Bookmakers Association to the Houses to meet Oireachtas Members. They are seeking that legislation on the opening hours of betting offices be dealt with as speedily as possible. I call on the Leader to request the Minister for Justice and Equality to bring forward the legislation and fast-track it. The Irish horse industry employs 30,000 people, 6,000 of whom are employed through the Irish Bookmakers Association. It is good employment but is seasonal for 1,000 staff who have to be let go owing to the fact that betting offices cannot open at night until Irish racing is taking place. Therefore, all the trade is lost to on-line betting where there are no jobs.

I call on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to intervene with the Horse Racing Ireland to ensure the much sought after increased race meetings in Dundalk racecourse goes ahead. It is seeking 25 extra race meetings. There are small trainers and big trainers on their knees because they cannot get races for their horses due to weather conditions but also because there are not enough race meetings. A state-of-the-art track in Dundalk, the best in Europe, is open only on Friday nights. It is time we utilised the facilities paid for by the taxpayer.