Sir, – Regarding the recent letter on tackling gambling-related harm (Barry Grant and Maebh Leahy, July 17th). The proposal that a portion of the betting duty be allocated to services which deal with gambling addiction makes a lot more sense than giving over €50 million a year to subsidise prize money for horse racing .
In the past 20 years in the region of a billion euros of taxpayers’ money has been ring-fenced by successive governments for the Horse Racing and Greyhound Fund. One might question why exchequer funds have been used to line the pockets of impoverished millionaire (and billionaire) race-horse owners. What next . . . State grants for owners of super yachts?
I would urge Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to consider diverting some of the betting duty funds from those who need it least to those who need it most. – Yours, etc,
STEWART KENNY,
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Dublin 4.