I move amendment No. 16:
In page 4, lines 20 and 23, to delete subsection (1), and substitute the following:
"4.—(1) Section 23 (5) of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the deletion of all words after ‘Day' and the substitution of the words ‘or Good Friday"'.
This amendment takes the explanatory memorandum at its word and takes the Minister, in what he said on Second Stage, at his word. I do not believe that the Minister's intention is to promote racing on Good Friday and Christmas Day. I understand, however, from information given to me by the Minister, that he does not feel he can accept the amendment because, apparently, the principle is that there should be equality of treatment of all sports. Apparently, such is the way that the legislation is written, if there are other sports where racing is allowed on Sundays it is also by extension allowed on Christmas Day and Good Friday, because the same approach was taken to these matters back in God's time. I cannot see why we should get ourselves tied up in a bureaucratic tangle and, therefore, have to accept that we cannot say that there should be no racing on Good Friday or Christmas Day. It appears to me to be another example of the futility of consistency in these matters, as Deputy Lenihan might say.
I will not press the amendment, but if the Minister were to decide to make a bold, adventurous move and treat this board differently from others I would be fully prepared to support him.
