Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Nov 1995

Vol. 458 No. 4

Written Answers. - Bookmakers' Dispute.

Desmond J. O'Malley

Question:

3 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the crisis in Irish racing that is resulting in a severe drop in betting; the steps, if any, he proposes to take to deal with the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17119/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

While the turnover in on course betting has been falling in recent years, that trend has been halted this year, in that turnover up to 13 November was marginally up on 1994. This increase would have been somewhat greater but for the dispute which saw no bookmakers standing at Leopardstown for the past two meetings.

Turnover on the Tote has been down this year but the Tote will nevertheless return a substantial profit for the year. Tote turnover has been affected by some adverse initial reaction to changes made in its operation aimed at improving the service provided for punters and also by the reduction of about 20 per cent in the average numbers of runners per meeting during the months of August and September due to the hot dry weather. Tote business is particularly sensitive to reductions in the numbers of runners.

Total attendances at race meetings have remained at or close to one million for a number of years.

The industry is not, therefore, in crisis but it certainly faces a number of problems which must be addressed if it is to start growing again. The Irish Horse Racing Authority in the five year strategy document which it is drawing up at present will be dealing with those problems and setting out a development programme aimed at increasing racing's share of the leisure industry over the rest of this decade. The Authority, which is representative of the various interests in the industry is in the best position to set out and implement such a programme and I am confident that it will do so in a realistic and timely way.