Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 918: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of funding Horse Racing Ireland received from his Department in 2005; if he has satisfied himself that people with disabilities are being adequately catered for at race meetings. [28578/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) was established as the statutory body with responsibility for the horseracing industry under the Horse and Greyhound Act, 2001.

HRI receives a guaranteed level of funding from the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund which is based on accrued excise duty on off-course betting, subject to a minimum level based on the year 2000 level adjusted for inflation. Any shortfall in the amount generated by the excise duty is made up by direct Exchequer subvention. Horse Racing Ireland received €54.68m from the fund in 2005.

HRI ensures that facilities for the disabled are prioritised at all racecourses through the operations of capital and health and safety grants. Horse Racing Ireland's capital grant support is directed at improving facilities in three principal areas within racecourses:

1. Improving facilities for racegoers (Access, Egress, Car Parking, Viewing, Toilets, Bars, Restaurants, etc).

2. Improving Facilities for industry personnel (Jockeys, Valets, Trainers, Stable Staff, Veterinary Surgeons, Medical and Security Personnel, Turf Club officials, etc).

3. Improving conditions for horses (Racing Surfaces, Fences, Walk Ways, Stables/Saddling Stalls/Wash Bays, Parade Rings, etc).

In area 1 HRI is conscious of the need to have facilities provided for people with disabilities and development plans of racecourses are examined closely to establish if such facilities are being provided.

Obviously HRI directly controls the quality of facilities being provided at its own racecourses, while all other racecourses seeking grant support are obliged to agree their development plans with HRI executives. Thus, HRI can leverage the improvement in overall racecourse facilities for people with disabilities. HRI provides significant funding to racecourses under its Health & Safety grant programme and the improvement of facilities for people with disabilities qualifies for support under that programme. Racecourses receive 60% grant aid for qualifying projects.

HRI recognises that provision of facilities for the disabled at racecourses is a work in progress, particularly as many older facilities are being replaced under the current Capital Development Programme. It is HRI policy to advocate continuing improvement in that regard. HRI has recently appointed the Automobile Association to design and implement a quality programme for racecourses and within that exercise they will have a full audit of the key areas of provision for people with disabilities. The Racegoers Consultative Forum which was established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 has recently published its report and it places the improvement of facilities for disabled racegoers among its key recommendations. HRI has assured me that it is committed to working with racecourses to implement this recommendation, among others, of the Forum.