Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund was established under section 12(1) of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 for the purpose of giving support to the horse and greyhound racing industries.

Under Section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001 (No.20 of 2001), the horse and greyhound racing industries receive financial support from the State through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund (the Fund).

In the period 2001 to 2017 a total of €1.12 billion has been paid from the Fund. In accordance with the provisions of the Act monies are paid out of the fund in the ratio of 80% to Horse Racing Ireland and 20% to Bord na gCon as specified in Section 12 (6) of the Act. State funding provided through the Fund is pivotal to the survival of the horse and greyhound racing industries.

Separately, in 2017 a block grant of €2m was paid to Horse Sport Ireland by my Department while a total of €850,000 was paid to equine organisations under the Equine Support Schemes. The 2018 block grant has increased to €2.5m with €850,000 again allocated for equine organisations. In addition the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport provided a grant of €1.57m in 2017 to HSI and has allocated €1.65m for this purpose in 2018.

I have no plans at present to use the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund to support the equestrian and sport horse sector.