Cullen secures 68m for Horses and greyhound racing yesterday

road_2_damascus

this is worth a look at... is it any coincidence that this funding was secured on the day before the budget... is the country being taken for a bunch of badly educated, ill informed fools... Im afraid so

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/broken-promise-on-cystic-fibrosis-1700723.html

peasant

Continued governement sponsored animal cruelty in times of crisis ...I've seen it all now ...

Where's the "puke" smiley again?


EDIT: any source on this other than an "opinions" letter?

Bluetonic

From last week.

Madam, – In reply to Peter Cosgrave’s letter, I would like to clarify some facts about the Irish horse-racing industry. This is timely in the wake of the great Irish successes at Cheltenham recently.

The Irish horse-racing industry supports over 16,500 jobs and the stability of these jobs and the economic activity around them depends on the long-term security of funding for the industry. All the other major horse-racing and breeding nations of the world are funded and supported through betting revenues. In Ireland this has been done via the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund.

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) – and indeed the wider industry – is not looking for financial support from the taxpayer. The industry wants its funding to be directly linked to betting activity in the State, independent of the taxpayer. While total betting in Ireland has increased by 304 per cent since 2001 (from €1.36 billion to €5.5 billion), betting duty has actually declined by 44 per cent (from €68 million to €38 million). The horse-racing industry believes that through modifications to tax on betting, more duty can be obtained from betting activity in the State, thereby generating funding both for the industry and for other purposes, such as education, health and welfare.

In 2007, 30 per cent of HRI’s total expenditure was spent on prize money. This “seed” investment is used to generate activity by owners, sponsors and other industry players. On average, HRI provides just over half of total prize money in Ireland with the remainder being provided by owners and sponsors. In order to compete for this prize money, owners expend approximately €260 million annually on training fees, vets, fees, transport, etc, providing jobs throughout the country and generating tax revenue.

Horse-racing is stitched into the fabric of the Irish rural economy and employs people in every county. Any erosion of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund will inevitably result in job losses throughout the industry. In the current economic climate all jobs need to be supported – especially where they are distributed across the country, particularly in rural areas. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN KAVANAGH,

Chief Executive,

Horse Racing Ireland,

The Curragh,

Co Kildare.

ionix5891

typical

horses and anything to do with them already get a huge amounts of tax breaks etc

this is truly a bad joke

NTLsucks

cant see the problem here, it is the one good thing FF have done. Cullen said they were going to tax gambling if they didnt get this money so this saved us all from being hit with stealth tax every time we go into the bookies or have a punt online.

peasant

If you can afford to gamble, you can afford to pay betting tax

NTLsucks

wrong, can barely afford to gamble, can maybe get in two bets a week but if they go tits up there goes my night out. there is no way i can afford it if they start taxing it. It would be completely unfair if they had taxed it.. why should the poorest section of soceity lose the right to gamble?

ionix5891

NTLsucks wrote: »

wrong, can barely afford to gamble, can maybe get in two bets a week but if they go tits up there goes my night out. there is no way i can afford it if they start taxing it. It would be completely unfair if they had taxed it.. why should the poorest section of soceity lose the right to gamble?

as seen in other threads i smell a troll

anyways

since when is Gambling a Right?

joeystrider

Horse racing and greyhound racing both generate huge sale and provide jobs for thousands. The money put in to this should be thought of in terms of sale generated. Plus races bring in people from all over the world. Galway races for instance. Good profile for the country and constant source of tourism.

The government puts money into industry and trade. Racing must surely come under this heading. Plus money is generated from bringing animals into and out of the country. And trust me many horses come through our country. We are renowned worldwide for our horse racing industry and it would be foolish to jeopardise such a thriving industry.

The money put in can be seen as an investment rather than a gift.

It should not be thought of in black and white terms.

however I do agree that it seems callous when projects such as the CF unit are threatened by lack of funding.

Perhaps more could be done to get the funding from betting levees rather than taxes.

old boy

i would have no issue if it was means tested, but me thinks its a case of rubbing fat meat to a fat pigs arse

joeystrider

Somebody was looking for more on this:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0407/1224244141953.html

NTLsucks

NTLsucks wrote: »

wrong, can barely afford to gamble, can maybe get in two bets a week but if they go tits up there goes my night out. there is no way i can afford it if they start taxing it. It would be completely unfair if they had taxed it.. why should the poorest section of soceity lose the right to gamble?

You are not the poorest of the poor, you are a lazy, good for nothing bum who seems to think that they are entitled to live off other people while never doing an honest days work yourself. Hitler had the rght idea, shame he did'nt go after you and your type.

lostexpectation

what the social impact of horse racing and its associated gambling, like no other sport its only purpose is to provide fodder for gambling ,and then we horse dieing at the grand national and jockies starving themselves, weapons manufacturing creates jobs doesn't mean ya do it. the industry is especially dodgey

jimmycrackcorm

Horse racing et al is just another irevenue industry that generates income and taxes. People might as well suggest that the IDA be disbanded.

DrumSteve

Deleted User wrote: »

You are not the poorest of the poor, you are a lazy, good for nothing bum who seems to think that they are entitled to live off other people while never doing an honest days work yourself. Hitler had the rght idea, shame he did'nt go after you and your type.

aren you insinuating this poor gentleman is jewish?:D

bigbadpat

Tax all gambling including:
- on-line, in shop & on course betting.
- casinos, poker players & tournaments.

starn

Deleted User wrote: »

You are not the poorest of the poor, you are a lazy, good for nothing bum who seems to think that they are entitled to live off other people while never doing an honest days work yourself. Hitler had the rght idea, shame he did'nt go after you and your type.

And Bill Hicks had a better one;)