Chris Andrews (Dublin South East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason the taxpayer is funding prize money in horseracing here that is more than 60% higher than in England while facilities for racegoers here lag behind the standards in England. [28577/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish bloodstock industry makes a significant contribution to the Irish economy and is particularly important to the rural economy with some 22,000 full-time employees in the thoroughbred equine industry.

In 2008, 6,222 Irish thoroughbreds, with a value of €216 million, were exported to 42 countries demonstrating the value of the industry to the national economy. In excess of 40% of the EU output of thoroughbreds and 11% of the total worldwide are produced in Ireland. For a small country, Ireland holds a pre-eminent position in the thoroughbred racing and breeding world.

The economic value of the racing and breeding sectors was evidenced in a recently published report "Analysis of the economic impact of the Irish Thoroughbred Industry", commissioned by ITBA, directed by Alan Dukes which found inter alia that:

The gross value of the industry to the economy is in excess of €1.1bn per annum.

€290m is spent on training fees (of which a significant proportion originates abroad).

The number of people involved in horse ownership is 19,036.

These figures provide strong justification for the investment by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) in prize money. Overall prize money is funded from a combination of sources including monies generated by HRI and also monies from sponsors and owners.

Government support for the horse racing industry is provided to HRI through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund (the Fund) which was established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001 and is charged with the overall administration, promotion and development of the industry.

HRI has confirmed to me that prize money on offer in France significantly outstrips that on offer in either England or Ireland and in order to remain attractive and competitive Irish racing must continue to offer prize money that is sufficient to attract the best horses in the world to train and race here.

HRI has operated a programme of continuous improvement of facilities at Irish racecourses over the past ten years through it's Racecourse Capital Grant Scheme. This scheme effectively provided 50% grant aid to racecourses for approved capital projects. This led for example to the construction of Ireland's first all weather racetrack in Dundalk, the new Killanin Stand in Galway and various other improvements throughout the country such as the enhanced facilities which opened at Ballinrobe just last week.