Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have referred on one or two previous occasions to the plight of abandoned horses. We have all read the horror stories about and seen the terrible pictures of animals in distress. I was disappointed when I learned at the weekend that the Government has withdrawn grant support for one of the voluntary agencies which is responsible for most of the great work done in this area. Will the Leader bring this matter to the attention of the appropriate Minister in the context of discovering whether the grant in question can be reinstated?

On a number of occasions I have asked that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, come before the House to engage in a debate on the horse racing industry, which is very important to the economy. Horse Racing Ireland does a tremendous job in general but on occasion it makes some very serious errors. I wish to draw the attention to a very serious error the organisation has made in respect of the Listowel Races, an event which is very dear to my heart and which, along with Galway and Punchestown, is one of the top festivals of the year. It is a seven-day meeting and the attendances achieved this year were phenomenal. This race meeting contributes huge amounts of revenue every year through the tote. However, Horse Racing Ireland has decided to arrange a gala horse racing festival involving the Curragh and Leopardstown which will be held during the early days of the Listowel Races next year. The festival in question will include five group 1 races. This will put it into direct competition with the meeting held at a small race track in the south west. The latter has been battling away for 150 years and has made a major contribution to the economy of the region. Horse Racing Ireland did something similar before but what it is doing now is absolutely crazy. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine should arbitrate on this matter.