Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 747: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport the number of staff in her Department formerly allocated to dealing with the Horse and Greyhound Fund and related matters; the duties now carried out by those staff formerly engaged in carrying out that work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1283/11]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 748: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport if any of the staff in her Department formerly engaged in dealing with the Horse and Greyhound Fund and related matters have been reallocated to the same duties in the Department of Agriculture; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1284/11]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 747 and 748 together.

The officials in my Department who dealt with the Horse and Greyhound racing industries did so as an element of a wider brief in the Sports area. In the period since responsibility for these industries was transferred to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in May of last year, the number of staff in the Department and in the Sports division has reduced in line with central requirements to reduce overall staffing levels. This reduction resulted in the restructuring of work in the Department generally and in the reallocation of duties and responsibilities for staff in the various divisions, including the Sports division.

No officials were reallocated to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the context of the transfer of these functions.