Leopardstown racecourse gets €2 million funding boost

Horse Racing Ireland is putting a grant of €2 million into a near €5 million redevelopment at Leopardstown racecourse and the sport’s ruling body has approved grants for work at three other tracks in Ireland.

Work is set to start immediately at Leopardstown in the latest stage of an overall €19 million redevelopment project.

This stage will see work on corporate suites and upgrades to all the second-floor grandstand bars and restaurants, as well work on the ‘Fillies’ bar and restaurant.

Other tracks approved for grants are Ballinrobe, Killarney and Tipperary, with grants totalling almost €3 million being the first approved under the new €100 million capital development scheme announced by HRI last year.

All 26 Irish racecourses are eligible to apply for funding under the scheme with HRI providing 40 per cent of the costs of approved projects.

"This has been made possible by the additional funding supplied by the Government in last year's budget and the commitment for further increases in funding for the next two years," said HRI's chief executive Brian Kavanagh.

Ballinrobe will get €200,000, while Killarney is to receive €340,000. Tipperary plans to spend over €700,000 over the next five years and has been approved a €280,000 grant.