Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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487. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans for the future of the Irish Tote; if he has considered the sale of this business; if any person has approached him in relation to the acquisition of the business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20351/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Licences to set up, maintain and operate totalisators are granted, under the Totalisator Act 1929, by my colleague, the Minister for Finance. Tote Ireland Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Horse Racing Ireland, currently operates a totalisator, under licence, at racecourses nationwide. Bord na gCon is licenced to operate a totalisator at greyhound tracks. The current licences, held by Tote Ireland and by Bord na gCon, each have a term of seven years and will expire in 2014. All profits made by Tote Ireland and Bord na gCon are re-invested in horse and greyhound racing industries. The Irish Tote is not an entity that can be bought or sold. Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon, as the only licensed Tote providers, are free to discuss with external bodies methods to improve their services but licences are not transferable. To date there have only ever been two Tote licences granted i.e. to Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon. My Department has received an enquiry regarding the licensing of the horseracing totalisator and the position as indicated above was outlined in response.