Dan Boyle
Ceist:183 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if funds were given directly by his Department or its agencies to the Irish Coursing Club in the past ten years. [23981/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 7 October 2004
Ceisteanna (183, 184)
Freagraí scríofa
Under the provisions of the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, Bord na gCon is the statutory agency responsible for the promotion and development of greyhound racing in Ireland.
Section 16(1)(c) part (vi) of the Act allows Bord na gCon to provide funding to the Irish Coursing Club, ICC, in assisting the club in the performance of its functions or contributing to the costs of schemes operated by the club for the improvement and development of greyhound breeding and coursing.
Bord na gCon has informed my Department that it has not allocated any Exchequer funding to the ICC over the last ten years.
Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:184 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount awarded, in respect of each year since 2001, to the horse and greyhound racing fund from the accrued excise duty on off-course betting Exchequer subvention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23982/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001, the horse and greyhound racing fund was established "for the purpose of giving support to horse and greyhound racing".
In accordance with section 12(3) of the Act, the Minister shall pay into the fund out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, in the year 2001, an amount equivalent to the revenue paid into the Exchequer in the year 2000 from excise duty on off-course betting.
In accordance with section 12(4) of the Act, the Minister shall pay into the fund out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, in the year 2002 and in each subsequent year, an amount equivalent to the revenue from excise duty on off-course betting paid into the Exchequer in the preceding year or the year 2000 increased by reference to the consumer price index, whichever is greater.
The amount of the fund and the income derived from off-course betting for each year since 2001 is set out in the table below.
|
Year |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
Total |
|
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
|
Amount of Fund |
58.89 |
68.06 |
64.19 |
66.91 |
258.05 |
|
Excise duty on off-course betting collected in previous year |
58.89 |
68.06 |
47.95 |
38.42 |
213.32 |
The Government has agreed to continue the fund for a further four years and to increase the limit of the fund to €550 million.