Paraic Brady (Fine Gael)

The Minister is once again welcome to the House for this debate on funding for horse and greyhound racing. As he rightly stated, both sectors are an important part of the economies, culture and heritage of our rural communities. We have all seen what horse racing has done for rural Ireland. In the town of Roscommon, for example, when a race meeting takes place, the activity it brings has an economic effect not only locally but through the wider county. People get dressed up, schools have reunions, there are hen and stag parties and people visit. It is a social event, but there is also, as the Minister stated, a knock-on effect in terms of support for the industry. Without support, you would be in danger of losing the economic benefits to the area.

I, too, visit racecourses and I attend the greyhound racing in Mullingar. Unfortunately, our greyhound track in Longford closed. We have seen the detrimental effect that had on the local economy. Visitors came to our town from far and wide and there was a significant economic benefit to the people locally and to shops and pubs. Unfortunately, when the track closed, the people of Longford experienced the economic effect it had. It is only when it was gone that they really and truly missed it.

I have a couple of statistics regarding greyhound racing. During the first half of this year, 692 fixtures were hale. Some 7,201 races were run at these events. There were 42,628 total entries. Total prize money was €4.356 million. Some 5,729 greyhounds out of a total of almost 7,000 that raced received prize money. The number of active owners was 3,737. There were 295 trainers involved. The number of new owners, which is critical, in the first six months of this year was 526. These are new owners who have made an investment in the greyhound industry. Total attendance at the greyhound tracks in the first six months of the year was almost 157,000. The number of people employed was 539. We can see the number of people employed and the economic benefits involved. Samples taken to assess welfare issues in the industry totalled 3,827. This shows that the Department has stringent rules already regarding the industry and samples taken. The number of passed samples, which is important, was 99.33%. Less than 1% were found to have failed the standards. There are standards in place for both the horse racing industry and greyhound industry.

As the Minister indicated, funding has to be put in place to support the horse racing industry. We have seen what Willie Mullins did in the Breeders' Cup. We have seen what our thoroughbreds are fit to do when they go to Australia and elsewhere. The passion for an Irish horse to go abroad and win some of these events just shows how strong the industry is here. The positive effect that has on the Exchequer amounts to €550 million foreign direct investment in Ireland each year. That is huge in the context of this sector.

The races at Punchestown and Listowel are the big meetings, but the small meetings are also significant. I welcome the Minister's announcement last week regarding the all-weather track.Everybody knows the only all-weather track we had up to that point was in Dundalk. It was difficult for people in the south of the country to travel the whole way to Dundalk for racing on an all-weather track. The Minister's investment in that part of the country - let us hope we see more investment in all-weather tracks - will alleviate the dangers of running on wetter ground. Everybody knows the safety aspect of all-weather tracks.

I will support the funding here today and I hope all my colleagues will also because it is an industry that is very important to our economy and to keeping our rural villages, towns and areas alive. After losing the one in Longford, I know first hand what it means not to have a track in our area.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the late Robbie Mulleady in County Longford. He had a dog called Coolamber Tank when I was growing up. We used to visit the tracks in Mullingar, Longford and Shelbourne. The first time I ever won money was on that dog, Coolamber Tank. Robbie used to always arrive and would say to my father, Lord have mercy on him, that he did not think the dog had a hope that day. Robbie would always give me a fiver and tell me to put it on his dog. Funnily enough, Robbie's dog always came in when he told you to put something on it. It was a great time, and it still is a great time and evening out.

I hope that people continue to support the industry, not only the horse racing industry, but the greyhound one, too. It is very important that you go to the track and enjoy the social aspect that is involved at all of the greyhound tracks and horse tracks around the country. I thank the Minister and am glad to support this Bill.