Subsidies for horse-racing

Madam, – In response to Brian Kavanagh’s letter (March 30th), I am amazed that we are in agreement: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI…

Madam, – In response to Brian Kavanagh’s letter (March 30th), I am amazed that we are in agreement: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) should be funded in line with its peers overseas.

The one point Mr Kavanagh has overlooked is that, in the UK, racing receives a grant based on betting turnover on UK racing only. If this model were to be applied in Ireland, HRI would receive approximately €5 million per year (against the €60 million plus a year it actually receives). This is because only 10-15 per cent of off-course betting turnover in this country is on Irish racing.

In other words, Horse Racing Ireland receives funding more than 12 times greater than that received by its UK equivalent. It receives tax paid on all non-Irish racing betting – from South African racing to Big Brother, from UK soccer to American politics.

In these tight times, this set-up needs to end. Let the wealthy businessmen pay for their own sport. – Yours, etc,

P COSGRAVE,

Stillorgan,

Co Dublin.