Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to this particularly difficult and challenging issue. The equine industry, as we all know, is synonymous with County Kildare. It has incredibly positive socioeconomic benefits for our county, which is known as a thoroughbred county not just in Ireland but throughout the world. There are three racetracks, Goffs, Horse Racing Ireland, HRI, 78 trainers and numerous breeders in Kildare. The impact of that in terms of hospitality, restaurants, people working in stable yards, etc., is significant.

It was very concerning to learn before Christmas that Horse Sport Ireland, which is temporarily located in Naas, was planning to move to Dublin. Punchestown is very well recognised as a racing track, as well as for other equestrian sports. It hosts a lot of community events. It had the generosity and magnanimity, under the chairmanship of David Mongey, to offer a site free of charge to Horse Sport Ireland so that we could keep 60 jobs in Kildare. They are people who buy their tea, coffee, lunches, etc., in Kildare. We have also negotiated with the current owner of the former Iris Kellett equestrian centre in Kill, where a lot of State money was used to build an equestrian centre for the 2003 Special Olympics World Games. He has offered to provide its full kit free of charge to Punchestown should the jobs stay in the county. That is very magnanimous.

Business people are involved in putting a business plan together to ensure Horse Sport Ireland, which is an excellent organisation, stays in the county. A lot of funding comes from the State, including some €5.5 million from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and €1.5 million from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that Horse Sport Ireland stays in Kildare with capital funding.