Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. We met yesterday evening at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine and discussed this issue at length. I will not repeat some of the issues I raised there. I have an interest in racing and am a regular attendee at Punchestown, The Curragh and Naas in County Kildare and, of course, Leopardstown which is quite close to where I live. I wish to put that on the record. I am a supporter of the industry and wish to use my time to discuss horse racing and the work of Horse Racing Ireland.

Horse racing and horse breeding are an integral part of agriculture, rural life, rural development and the rural economy. They are massively connected, both directly and indirectly, with rural employment. More than 90% of all owners of brood mares in this country are farmers who have fewer than four animals. That is extraordinary. The issue is that farmers across this country are keeping brood mares. There are very successful breeding programmes. It does not suggest that breeding and the keeping of brood mares are centralised by ten or 15 studs. Of course, they contribute enormously to it, but 95% of people keep fewer than four brood mares on their farms. That is particularly important.

The export of horses and inward investment are enormous. International owners choose to avail of this country for their equestrian and horse activity in terms of breeding. Yes, there are attractive tax regimes in place for that, but one must put that up against the success in terms of income and particularly employment in rural communities, where it is quite difficult to get employment. There is the issue of online betting and the revenue it produces. It has been suggested that revenue from betting is well in excess of €100 million, so there is an income from betting in the industry.

I said something yesterday and I will put it to the Minister again. This morning, I looked at the report from Indecon Economic Consultants. These consultants produced extensive reports on both Irish racing and the HRI as well as the greyhound industry. There are issues in that regard that need to be revisited. I do not suggest we need another report on horses or greyhounds. We should dust down the Indecon Economic Consultants reports on both sectors. In addition, Deloitte produced an extensive report and made numerous recommendations relating to Horse Racing Ireland, which I believe should be examined.

We cannot discuss this sector without mentioning animal welfare. We are providing a substantial €96 million, which has been approved in the budget. The provision in the 2001 Act is that it gets the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas. We are doing that today. There should be some conditionality and expectation, some way of measuring animal welfare issues in respect of funding. That is very important.

I note from the draft copy of the statutory instrument we are discussing, which the Minister and the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Michael McGrath, will sign, that the cumulative aggregate effect of all this money will be €1.46 billion for racing and dogs on an 80% to 20% break. That is a huge amount of money, and I do not have a difficulty with it in terms of the sport, the breeding, the economy and the benefits of it. However, it is an enormous amount of public money so, therefore, the conditionality in this regard is something I ask the Minister to examine again. Some €96 million has been approved by the Dáil to be provided in the budget.

A number of people have suggested to me that there are issues with governance in both organisations. I have looked at the most recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which I understand is waiting on the Minister's desk to be signed, and I am satisfied with regard to the audited financial statements for Horse Racing Ireland and the greyhound industry. Having read them thoroughly, I am happy with the protections, guidance and reassurances the Comptroller and Auditor General has given us. It is a comfort to be able to say that. The Comptroller and Auditor General has looked at these accounts and issued his reports. There are strong, healthy recommendations in the reports, which are worth having.

Horse Racing Ireland has an amazing strategic plan, and those who do not have it should get it. It is important that we look at it and keep it to the fore. I give a commitment that I will continue to keep this issue to the fore in the Oireachtas committee, as I know my other colleagues will.

Finally, there is an issue with the Tripartite Agreement relating to the movement of bloodstock. Currently, it is approximately 25,000 per year between Ireland, the UK and France. That is a significant transport route in terms of both racing and breeding and the to-ing and fro-ing of animals coming through Europe, but mainly from France. The tripartite arrangement exists between France, the UK and Ireland, but things will change from 1 January with Brexit. There are already discussions about this and people in the sector are seriously concerned. Will the Minister share how those talks are going and how we are going to find a resolution to the movement of bloodstock across this country, into the UK and to France by ship and road? That is a critical question and I hope the Minister will give attention to it.

I thank him for coming to the House and for his comprehensive speech on these matters.