Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome this much-anticipated Bill, for which we have all been keeping an eye out since becoming Members of the Seanad in 2011. The legislation is much needed by the betting sector. I appreciate the work done in respect of it by the Minister, his Department and the relevant Oireachtas committee during the long process of redrafting. I understand the Bill had to be referred to Europe for a technical ratification holiday for a period of three months. I hope it enjoyed its trip.

The racehorse, greyhound and horse-breeding industries are all interconnected with the Bill. Said industries are worth €1 billion to the country and they employ up to 16,000 people in rural areas. Up to five or six years ago, 20,000 people had jobs in the sectors in question. With the proper investment we can ensure that employment will increase to its previous level.

The horse-breeding industry, from top to bottom, produces results which ensure that Ireland remains at the very top of the global league. This country is, in fact, a disproportionately major global player in terms of horse racing and breeding. There is extraordinary competition from the Middle East, Japan, Europe, the USA and Australasia. If we are to maintain and build on the natural skills and bloodlines of our thoroughbreds, then we must invest. We need to protect the jobs of the wonderfully talented people in the industry - these jobs are all located in rural areas - and ensure that they are passed on to future generations.

Betting turnover has increased from €1.3 billion to €4.5 billion, according to the Indecon report, which also indicates that tax revenue fell from €68 million to €27 million in 2011. When replying, will the Minister outline his thoughts on and plans for a timeframe in the context of increasing the betting levy? I accept that the Bill does not deal with this matter, but it is difficult to pass up the opportunity to refer to it. The levy currently stands at 1%. As far as I am aware, that is the lowest in the world. The levy in Germany is 5%, in the UK it is 2.8%, in Italy it is 3.8%, in Japan it is 17.8%, in France, which invests an enormous amount of funding into its racing industry - Irish horses beat French ones all the time - it is 15.5%, and in Spain it is 7%. The alliance for racing and breeding made representations to me last week and indicated that while it welcomes the Betting (Amendment) Bill, it is of the view that the latter is only a halfway house for the industry.

We need to get the Bill through the House and we need to get the rate increased in this October's budget. I am interested to know what is lying in the back of the Minister's brain cells. This industry does not want to be reliant on handouts from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. In every other country in the world the betting revenue produced is returned as investment in the industry. That is what we are trying to achieve. The horse racing industry is a personal passion of mine. We have the natural skills and resources to be one of the best players in the world, but the industry is hellishly competitive on a global scale.

I appreciate that the Minister is attempting to produce a level playing field for everyone in the betting industry. Many small bookmakers are not fighting the same fight as the large bookmakers, which have offshore and online betting facilities. We all welcome this Bill as a means of levelling the playing field. Many of the bookmakers who provide a service in small towns in rural areas have gone out of business. Punters must pay to enter a dog or race meeting. I ask if the same levy or taxes should be applied to on-course bookmakers as to online bookmakers.

I welcome the comments of other Senators about the gambling control Bill, which cannot come soon enough. Discussion of betting must include a conversation about the problems associated with gambling. I refer to the harm done to society by gambling addiction and the social problems it causes. I hope that when the Bill is passed and the moneys start to come in from online betting, a portion will be devoted to treatment for and education about gambling addiction.