Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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239. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 175 of 4 May 2023, if he will provide a schedule of sporting organisations that have made proposals in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023 in respect of the distribution of the horse and greyhound fund; and the number of occasions on which he, his predecessors and-or his officials have met with sporting organisations in the context of the horse and greyhound fund. [22307/23]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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247. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a schedule of sporting organisations that have made proposals in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023 in respect of the distribution of the horse and greyhound fund; and the number of occasions on which he, his predecessors and-or his officials have met with Horse Racing Ireland and Greyhound Racing Ireland. [22308/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 247 together.

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a 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.

Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.

The horse and greyhound racing industries receive financial support from the State through the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund, under Section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001. The Fund is distributed in accordance with Section 12(6) of the Act, with 80% going to HRI and 20% to RCÉ.

Since 2019 both my predecessors and I have received a number of requests for financial support, both directly and indirectly, on behalf of the Irish Harness Racing Association (IHRA).

The table below outlines the number of meetings my predecessors, Department Officials and myself held with HRI and RCÉ.

Meetings with HRI and RCÉ from 2019 to date in 2023