Irish Harness Racing funding
Deputy Healy-Rae seeks support for the Irish Harness Racing Association and says seed funding alone will not sustain it. The Minister says there has been engagement with the IHRA, its strategy document is awaited, and the Government recognises the need to support and regulate the activity.
A five-year strategy document has been completed by the Irish Harness Racing Association, IHRA. It was signed off by the IHRA's board. The Department is in the process of signing off on it also. A two-year application has been submitted for 2019 funding, that is, seed funding and recurring funding. Will the Minister acknowledge that seed funding on its own is not enough to be sustainable for the board, and will he do his best to assist this very worthwhile organisation in the great work it is doing?
Comment on this
I have had some engagement with the Irish Harness Racing Association, as I know Members of the House have. As I understand it, the IHRA is a constituent member of Horse Sport Ireland, HSI, to which we increased funding in the budget. We have engaged with the IHRA and sought a strategy document from it. I have engaged directly in the past two weeks. At that stage I understood that the document was about to be submitted, but I have not personally seen a final draft.
We recognise that this is an activity that needs to be supported and regulated. We look forward to working with the IHRA. Additional direct funding for IHRA in 2019 is now especially challenging because the budget arrangements for 2019 have been concluded. I will look at the document and engage further with the IHRA.