Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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993. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of permanent or temporary medical staff and the number of ambulances and ambulance crew members in attendance at racecourses and point-to-point meetings nationwide; the dates such staff are in attendance; if these staff are paid for out of public funds via the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund; the costs involved; his views on whether medical resources would be better deployed away from racecourses during the Covid-19 pandemic (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24471/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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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.

HRI has informed me of the following:

- Ambulances and personnel from the National Ambulance Service are not in attendance at racemeetings and Point-to-Point meetings in Ireland.

- Ambulance providers are all from the voluntary sector, with the Order of Malta being their main provider (the Irish Red Cross cover one racecourse, and the Civil Defence cover two racecourses).

- HRI are in communication with their ambulance providers in order to ensure they have sufficient provision to provide cover without taking from any Covid-19 related duties.

- To ensure the highest level of safety for riders, each fixture is serviced by three ambulances and the appropriate crew numbers which, as a rule, is a driver and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) on each ambulance.

- Pre-COVID-19, the volunteer ambulance service provided cover at many sport events, concerts and festivals and therefore have a large capacity to service many events. For the last 12 months, horseracing has essentially been the Order of Malta’s only event cover and has been a crucial source of funding for the organisation. The daily rate for ambulances at racemeetings is met 50/50 by the racecourses and Horse Racing Ireland.

- The Order of Malta receives an annual grant from HRI.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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994. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of horses that were injured and killed at the 2021 Punchestown horse racing festival; if an investigation will be carried out into the high level of fatalities; if consideration will be given to ending State funding to Horse Racing Ireland in view of the growing number of horse deaths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24475/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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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.

The question raised by the Deputy in relation to the number of horses injured and killed at the 2021 Punchestown horse racing festival is an operational matter for HRI who will be requested to repond directly.

An important pillar of Government policy is to ensure that the horse racing industry achieves its maximum potential, and in so doing, contributes to economic and social development across a wide geographic swathe of the country.

The horse racing industry makes a valuable contribution to our economy. It is estimated that the thoroughbred industry has an annual economic impact of €1.84 billion with direct and indirect employment of 28,500 people. The thoroughbred industry brings a high level of international investment into Ireland.

Welfare is a cornerstone of the industry, shown by Horse Racing Ireland’s (HRI) strategic priority to implement world-leading standards of integrity and equine welfare. HRI’s policy on thoroughbred horse welfare is reflected in the “Promoting Responsible Thoroughbred Ownership” document to which bodies concerned with welfare within the horseracing and breeding industry subscribe.

HRI receives state funding on an annual basis as provided for under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001. I have no plans to end state funding for the horse racing industry.