AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of the Dáil this evening approved a €4.1 million increase in funding for horse and greyhound racing, bringing the total funding for both industries close to €100 million.

A total of €79.3 million in funding will be allocated to the horse racing industry while €19.8 million will be provided to the dog racing industry under measures announced as part of Budget 2025.

The funding was approved by 109 TDs who voted in favour of the bill, while just 19 TDs voted against. No TD abstained.

TDs shared a variety of views during a debate in the Dáil yesterday. Some expressed anger over the funding boost, arguing not enough was being fairly allocated towards animal welfare, while others argued it was an integral part of Irish culture.

During the debate, government and other opposition TDs, including members of Sinn Féin and Labour’s Alan Kelly, supported the case for additional funding. 

Meanwhile, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns and People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy railed against the scale of government funding being provided to the industry.

Junior minister in the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon said the greyhound racing industry is “an integral part of the social fabric of our country”.

He said the horse and greyhound racing industries indirectly supports up to 30,000 jobs and 4,000 jobs respectively. Heydon argued the funding would assist with that employment as well as add to a well-established tradition.

Heydon’s opinion differed slightly to the views of his cabinet colleague, junior minister in the Department of Sport, Thomas Byrne who last week said greyhound racing is an industry “not a sport”. 

Byrne remarked that he believe the event was not as popular as it once was, but was more keen to argue in favour of better investment for his department, sport, rather than discussing whether or not funding to the industry should be cut.

In comparison, Budget 2025 saw €30 million allocated to national sport governing bodies and local sports partnerships – over €60 million less than what was allocated to the racing industries.

Byrne voted in favour of the funding this evening.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, who has voiced his opposition to the massive funding packages signed off on by the Government in the past, said this comment was “bizarre” yesterday. 

“The comparison is that in reality, while they throw money at the horse and greyhound racing industry, they give a fraction of that to all of the actual sports in this country,” Murphy said. 

“Ireland is one of only seven countries where greyhound racing remains legal,” Murphy said, adding that it is an “absolute scandal” to continue the scale of funding.

Includes reporting by Jane Matthews