Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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421. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that expenditure on a company (details supplied), a subsidiary of Horse Racing Ireland, increased from €1.6 million to €1.8 million in 2014; his views on whether discernible value accrues to HRI and to the general public from this expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33366/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.

While the matter referred to by the Deputy is an operational  matter for HRI, they have informed me that Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) promotes Ireland as the leading source for the production and sale of quality thoroughbreds worldwide, and as a premier country in which to own, breed and buy thoroughbreds. This kind of marketing and promotion is a critically important element in the development of the Irish Thoroughbred sector.

Public auction turnover at Irish sales increased by 10% in 2014, and exports of Irish foaled horses increased by 4%.