Mar is léir ón Teideal Fada, is é cuspóir an Bhille seo ná Bord, ar a dtugtar an Bord Rásaíochta, do chur ar bun chun síolrú capall agus rásaíocht chapall d'fheabhsú. Beidh de chumhacht ag an mbórd socruithe do dhéanamh i dtaobh geall-ghlacadóirí do dhéanamh gealltóireacht chúrsa agus dleachta d'fhorchur ar gheallghlacadóirí i leith geall cúrsa. Nuair a bheidh an bord nua ag obair ní bheidh aon gá le Bord Urlámhais na Gealltóireachta Meicniúla in Éirinn do choimeád beo agus tá an bille chun an bord san do scur agus a maoine agus a bhfiachas d'aistriú chun an Bhúird Rásaíochta. Mar sin, beidh de chumhacht ag an mBord Rásaíochta ceadúnas fé Acht na Suimitheoirí, 1929 d'fháil chun suimitheoirí do bhunú, do choinneál ar siúl agus d'oibriú.
Do rinneadh roinnt leasuithe i nDáil Eireann ar an mbille mar do tugadh isteach é. Tá alt nua curtha isteach— alt a deich—ag tabhairt cumhachta don bhord chun coistí do bhunú ar a mbeidh baill den bhord ina n-aonar nó in éineacht le hoifigigh den bhord agus na coistí sin d'udarú chun feidhmeanna, cumhachta agus dualgais an bhúird do chomhlíonadh. Duairt a lán Teachtaí go mba cheart cuóram is mó ná triúr do bheith i láthair ag crunnithe den bhórd agus do ghlacas le leasú ag ardú líon an chuóraim go dtí cúigear ball.
In Alt 26, ní raibh ar dtúis aon teora leis an táille a chaithfeadh geallghlacadóir d'íoc chun dul isteach ar rás-chúrsa ach, tar éis bheith ag éisteacht leis an díospóireacht, do chuireas leasú isteach ann á rá nach ceart níos mó ná cúig oiread an mhéide a héileofar ar dhaoine den phoiblíocht as iad do ligin isteach d'éileamh ar aon gheall-ghlacadóir.
Is dóigh leis an Rialtas go mbeidh gá le bord den tsaghas so nuair a bheidh aimsir na práinne thart, agus creideann siad go bhféadfar na cuspóirí atá ar aigne acu a chur i gcrích sa tslí is fearr trí shocruithe an Bhille atá os ár gcomhair anois.
The purpose of the Bill, as stated in the opening words of the Long Title, is "to provide for the improvement and development of horse racing and horse breeding", and it is intended as a contribution towards post-emergency planning.
At present, Irish racing is enjoying boom conditions similar to the conditions which existed at the end of the previous war. The Government consider, however, that, unless suitable measures are taken now to enable further funds to be provided for the assistance of racing and horse breeding, the industry may again experience difficult conditions such as existed during the decade from 1926-1935. It is likely that the resumption of racing on a full scale in Britain, where stakes are normally much higher than here, will result in an exodus not alone of horses which are being raced here by British owners at present, but also in the premature sale of many of the best quality animals by Irish owners unless the stakes to be raced for here are sufficiently attractive to induce them to retain the animals here. Unless constructive steps are taken now, it is likely, therefore, that the immediate post-war period would see a boom in the exports of bloodstock which would be likely to denude the country of the best animals with a subsequent deterioration in the quality of the horses bred here and a falling off in the value of exports in the long run. The export trade in bloodstock, as well as in horses of the hunter class, should be of great value to this country, but the possibility of achieving a long-term expansion of this trade, both in numbers and values, after the emergency, depends largely on whether racing is in a healthy and prosperous condition here. The central purpose of the Bill is, therefore, to secure that adequate funds will be available for the betterment of horse-breeding and horse-racing. As well as being a valuable industry, which gives considerable employment and provides a market for many different types of agricultural and industrial products, horse racing is an amusement and recreation for a large section of the public and it is considered that the necessary funds for the purposes mentioned can be provided in the most suitable manner by the patrons of the sport, if the machinery embodied in the Bill before the House is set up.
The provisions of the Bill fall into four main parts. Part I is the usual general section concerned mainly with the definition of the various authorities mentioned in the Bill and the technical terms used. I would like to draw attention to the definition of a "course bet", which follows the definition used when such bets were subject to a betting duty of 2½ per cent. in the period 1926-1931.
The expression "governing body" refers to the Irish Turf Club or the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee. The first of these is a very old authority, the first edition of the Irish Racing Calendar having been produced by the Turf Club in 1791, and at that time the club had three stewards, just as it has to-day. The Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee is of more recent origin and was formed in 1870. These two bodies have disciplinary control over the conduct of race meetings under the Rules of Racing and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Rules. They also control the operation of the Totalisator on racecourses through the size of their representation on the Board of Control for Mechanical Betting in Ireland, on which body they have 12 out of 16 members.
Part II of the Bill provides for the establishment of a Racing Board composed of 11 members, all of whom will be appointed by the Minister for Finance after consultation with the Minister for Agriculture. Section 5 (ii) of the Bill provides that each person appointed as a member of the board shall be a person who, in the opinion of the Minister, is representative of, or, otherwise, connected with racing including practical experience in the management of racecourses or the ownership or breeding of bloodstock or bookmaking or other like pursuits.
Six members of the board will be persons who are members of either the Turf Club or the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee but not necessarily stewards or other honorary officials of these bodies. The functions of the Racing Board will not interfere with the disciplinary control of racing exercised by the governing bodies under the Rules of Racing and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Rules. The fact that six members of the board are to be selected from the membership of the governing bodies does not mean, however, that the Minister for Finance will be limited to five in selecting the persons to represent all other interests connected with racing. Many of the members of the governing bodies are representative of other interests, more especially as breeders of bloodstock and owners of horses in training.
The members will be appointed for a five-year term of office and will be eligible for re-appointment. They will not receive any remuneration for their services as members of the board, but may be reimbursed their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the business of the board. The members will appoint their own chairman who will hold office for a period of one year. During the debate on the Committee Stage in Dáil Eireann I accepted an amendment increasing the quorum for meetings of the board from three, which was provided in the Bill as introduced, to five. On further consideration of the practical working of the board's administrative functions, I introduced an amendment on the Report Stage authorising the board to set up committees and to delegate any of its functions, powers and duties to such committees. This will enable the details of administration to be transacted efficiently and expeditiously without requiring meetings of the full board to be called together at too frequent intervals. The extent to which the procedure of committees will be used will be entirely a matter for the board to determine.
The board will have at its disposal moneys arising from totalisator betting and from a levy on course bets with bookmakers. It will have, in addition, power to borrow up to £20,000, or in excess of that sum with the consent of the Minister for Finance. The board is also being given power to hold a licence under the Totalisator Act, 1929. It may spend the moneys at its disposal on the establishment and equipment of racecourses, but must first obtain the consent of the governing bodies. This is a permissive power and may not be used by the board in the immediate future. In addition the board may make payments, grants or loans for many purposes, including the increase of stake money, the reduction of entrance fees and similar charges, the payment of the carriage of horses competing at race meetings, the reduction of admission charges to the public, the improvement of racecourses and the amenities thereof, and other purposes conducive to the improvement of horse racing, the breeding of horses, and the development of the export trade in horses.
In this connection, the board will have certain powers of control. It may attach to any grants or loans made by it such conditions as it thinks proper, and it may, after consultation with the governing bodies, make regulations controlling the manner in which racecourses, at which racing is authorised by the governing bodies, are to be managed and controlled, with the object of securing that, in the management and control of racecourses, service uniformly satisfactory to the industry and to the racing public is rendered by these executives. Such regulations may require the executives to keep their books in the prescribed manner, to furnish returns and information required by the board and to produce accounts and records. The board is also being given considerable powers over course bookmakers by virtue of the issue of course betting permits and of the regulations for the collection of levy. All regulations made by the board for the latter purpose will be subject to the consent of the Minister for Finance.
The board may make regulations fixing the charges to be made to bookmakers for admission to racecourses, and in the Bill as introduced in Dáil Eireann there was no upper limit or ceiling fixed. In deference to representations made by the bookmakers' associations and to the views expressed by many Deputies, I introduced an amendment during the Committee Stage in that House which lays it down that the board may not fix for a racecourse, at any time, an admission charge for bookmakers exceeding five times the charge then made to members of the public for admission to the racecourse.
Part III of the Bill provides for the granting by the Racing Board of permits authorising bookmakers to carry on their business at racecourses. Without such a permit it will, under the terms of the Bill, be unlawful for a bookmaker to conduct business at a racecourse. Senators will recollect that the Irish Racing Commission, which was set up by the Turf Club and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee in 1942, reported in favour of the restriction of permission to carry on course betting to existing course bookmakers, with the intent that the business should be gradually extinguished. The Government have not adopted the view that bookmakers should be gradually banished from Irish racecourses, but it has been found necessary to provide in the Bill that, through the medium of the course betting permits, the Racing Board will have a measure of control over bookmakers carrying on business on racecourses, particularly having regard to the provisions in the Bill for the collection of a levy on course bets. The statutory recognition thus given to the business of course betting by the Bill can be regarded by the bookmakers as a welcome release from the danger that steps might be taken, as recommended by the Irish Racing Commission, to extinguish the business and to concentrate all course betting on the totalisator.
The third part of the Bill also provides for the collection by the Racing Board of a levy on course bets. The amount of the levy, which will be fixed by the board with the consent of the Minister for Finance, will under the terms of the Bill not exceed 5 per cent. of each course bet. The levy will be payable by the bookmaker on the amount of each course bet placed with him. It is intended that the levy should be passed on to the backer, and the bookmakers should ensure that it will, in fact, be borne by the betting public. I have little doubt but that the Racing Board will encourage bookmakers to observe a uniform practice in this respect. It will be appreciated that the transfer to the Racing Board of this power to collect a levy on course bets deprives the Minister for Finance of a potential source of revenue for the Exchequer, and in that way the measure may be regarded as an important contribution by the State towards the improvement and development of horse racing and horse breeding.
It is intended that the regulations to be made by the Racing Board for securing the payment of the levy will follow on the lines of the existing Betting Duty Regulations which are administered by the Revenue Commissioners for the collection of the existing duty on shop bets. Accordingly, the Bill provides that bookmakers may either pay the levy on the basis of returns furnished by them, or may purchase levy paid betting sheets from the board. The adoption of this procedure will make the filling up of their returns simpler for bookmakers who will, thus, have much the same procedure for the payment of the levy on course bets as exists at present for the payment of the duty on shop bets.
Part IV provides for the dissolution of the existing Board of Control for Mechanical Betting in Ireland, and for the transfer of its assets and liabilities to the Racing Board, which will thereafter become the licensee for the purpose of totalisator betting. The Board of Control, since its establishment in 1930, has carried on its business with the greatest efficiency and success, but in view of the wider functions to be entrusted to the new board constituted under the Bill, a more representative body than the Board of Control is now required. It would be an unnecessary duplication of services to continue the Board of Control in addition to the Racing Board.
A feature of racing here in recent years has been the great success of totalisator betting, and the Government have a deep appreciation of the services rendered voluntarily and with great public spirit by the members of the Board of Control for Mechanical Betting. In the first year of its operation—1930—the turnover was only £99,000, and, as the duty on course betting was in operation at the time, the gross income of the board was only £7,425. The board went through a difficult period subsequently with a large overdraft which had been incurred in connection with the erection of totalisator buildings on racecourses. Progress was slow for some time, but the initial difficulties had been surmounted before the emergency period when, with the limitations imposed on racing in Great Britain and the retention in Ireland of more horses of first-grade quality which would normally have been sold for export to other countries, Irish racing entered on the present period of prosperity which has been affected to some extent by transport difficulties. As a result of the careful constructive work of the previous decade, the board was able to take full advantage of this prosperity. Its turnover reached the record figure of £486,500 in 1944, giving a gross income of £48,600 from the 10 per cent. deduction made from all sums staked with the totalisator, and the returns from race meetings held up to the present indicate that these figures will be exceeded in 1945. In the circumstances, I would like to take this opportunity to convey to the members of the board the thanks of the Government for the manner in which the totalisator has been conducted by them during the past 15 years.
In addition to the four main parts of the Bill, provision is made in Part V for the giving of legal effect to an exclusion order made by either the Turf Club or the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee against any person in respect of racecourses where racing is carried on under their rules.
I think I can say that in Dáil Eireann the Bill met with the general approval of all Parties of that House, and I trust that it will also meet with a favourable reception in the Seanad. It provides an organisation for securing, through the activities of this representative Racing Board, the betterment of racing and breeding in the coming years.
It is not possible to state with any degree of accuracy what funds will be available to the Racing Board for giving assistance to racing and breeding. I shall have to consider whatever recommendation the board, when constituted, may make to me as to the rate of levy on course bets. I may say, without prejudice to whatever decision may ultimately be reached, that I can see some advantage in beginning with the maximum rate of 5 per cent., so that adequate funds may be secured during the present boom period. I do not know what is the present volume of course betting with bookmakers, but on the basis of the returns when the betting duty was in force in 1926-31, a 5 per cent. levy should yield not less than £100,000. In addition to the levy receipts the board will have the 10 per cent. deduction from tote bets, say about £50,000 on the present turnover figures. Administrative expenses will, of course, have to be met from these receipts. It is important that the Bill should be enacted as soon as possible, and it is with confidence that I ask for the co-operation of the House in achieving this.