Madam, - The criticism by your correspondents of the funding of the Punchestown Agricultural and Equestrian Centre are most unfair.
The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, and the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, have acknowledged the great contribution which agriculture and all branches of the horse industry make to the economy. Over 26,000 people are employed in the horse industry alone and are respected for their dedication and expertise throughout out the world.
The International Equestrian Event held at Punchestown in September was a great success. It was attended by people of many nationalities who had not participated before. In fact, many had not visited Ireland previously and expressed their appreciation for both the location and hospitality.
Both Ministers have shown foresight, realising that Punchestown can now become Ireland's elegant equine shop window. - Yours, etc.,
FRANCIS LEADON, Castlepollard, Co Westmeath.
Madam, - Fintan O'Toole (November 18th) exposes the fact that the Irish taxpayer is subsidising the wealthy racehorse owners of this country to the tune of 50 per cent of the prize money awarded on Irish racetracks. (And, yes, most are very well off and not the ordinary Joes that Mr McCreevy likes to pretend they are).
This, of course, is in addition to the subsidies for capital investment for essentially private enterprises such as those at Punchestown. A perusal of the lists of leading owners in both the flat and national hunt spheres reveals just how much wealth is concentrated there.
J.P. McManus, that paragon of social consciousness and sometime resident of Ireland, is the leading owner of jump horses in this country. And the flat-racing list is dominated by the various Sheiks of despotic regimes in the Gulf and wider Middle East and the Magnier/Tabor alliance of Ballydoyle and Coolmore. Further down the list one encounters industrialists, housing developers, hoteliers, accountants and in general the wealthiest cohort of Irish people.
Not only does the taxpayer indulge those who double up as stud owners through the vast subsidy on stallion fees; the taxpayer takes a double hit by contributing half of their prize money as well. Thus the survival of the cosiest cartel of them all in Irish society has been prioritised by Mr McCreevy and supported by the Government. I leave people to draw their own conclusions. - Yours, etc.,
Dr JOHN O' BRENNAN, Lecturer in Politics, University of Limerick.