Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has plans to reform betting legislation in order to increase the Revenue Commissioners' tax take from gambling and therefore providing support to the horse and greyhound fund as a revenue neutral perspective for the central Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37043/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I announced in the Budget that the betting duty rate, which relates to all off-course betting on all sports, will be increased from 1% to 2% with effect from 1 January 2009. To provide for this, the relevant legislation, the Betting Act, 1931 will be amended via the Finance Bill. The decision to increase the betting duty is unrelated and separate to the issue of the maintenance of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund. In that regard it was also made clear in the Budget that the arrangements were being ended whereby the annual payment to the Fund is automatically calculated by reference to the previous year's betting duty or the contribution to the Fund in the year 2000 adjusted for inflation.