asked the Minister for Finance whether he recognises the body which describes itself as the Turf Club as a governing body for the purposes of the Racing Board and Racecourses Act, 1945, and whether, in view of the fact that the governing body is described in the Act as the Irish Turf Club, he will state why he affords recognition to a body which does not describe itself in accordance with the terms of the Act.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Turf Club.
As I informed the Deputy in reply to his similar question on 10th July the body elsewhere described variously as the Turf Club and the Turf Club of Ireland is the body which is referred to as the Irish Turf Club in the Racing Board and Racecourses Act, 1945 and in earlier legislation. The Act does not require the body in question to describe itself as the Irish Turf Club, and I have no function under the Act or otherwise in relation to the way it calls itself.
Arising out of the Minister's misleading reply, is it not a fact that in the Act of 1945 this body should describe itself as the Irish Turf Club for the purposes of that Act? Is it not a fact that there is no such body in existence as the Irish Turf Club but there is a body calling itself the Turf Club, which in all its activities describes itself as the Turf Club but which according to the Act should describe itself as the Irish Turf Club?
It is the Deputy who is endeavouring to mislead the House. The Act does not describe any body calling itself the Irish Turf Club. It describes a body called the Irish Turf Club which is an entirely different matter. I would advise the Deputy to try and construe the Act.
Might I ask the Minister why, if it was necessary to describe, in the 1945 Act, a body calling itself the Irish Turf Club, he recognises for the purposes of that Act a body calling itself the Turf Club?
There is only one body which could be referred to in that Act and that is the Irish Turf Club. I was not responsible for the drafting of the Act but the body referred to in the Act is quite clear.
Then why was it necessary to put the word "Irish" into the Act? That is mere quibbling.
The Minister has more to do than to bother about what people call themselves. He is dealing with fundamentals.