Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae has called on the government to review the upcoming Gambling Regulation Bill, labelling it an overreaction that could close down the industry.
The bill paves the way for an introduction of a new watershed that prevents gambling advertising between 5.30am-9pm and both Racing TV and Sky Sports Racing have threatened to pull their coverage in Ireland should it come into effect. Healy-Rae is the latest political figure to express concerns surrounding the implications of the bill after Fine Gael TD Paul Kehoe and former minister Ivan Yates spoke out about the dangers it poses to the racing industry last month.
Healy-Rae has been a TD (member of the Dail Eireann) for 12 years, serving the Kerry South constituency from 2011 to 2016 before representing the Kerry constituency from 2016. He said: “This government seems to be hell-bent on overreacting. I have concerns regarding gambling, especially for those who are intoxicated in the early hours of the morning with their credit card in their hand, betting money that they don’t have. But our industry is regulated as it is and the bookies are all responsible for protecting their customers.
“The government seem to be intent on attacking an industry that is worth an awful lot of money to this economy. Horseracing is a sport that is part of our history and our heritage. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Healy-Rae’s constituency includes Killarney and Listowel, where the popular six-day harvest festival is set to commence on September 17. He said many within the industry in Kerry have shared their concerns regarding the bill and he has been active in relaying those concerns to the government.
“Of course there is big concern in Kerry,” he said. “Many people have been in contact with me regarding the issue and I have parliamentary questions put down on the matter. I have raised my concerns on behalf of the racing companies in Kerry which operate in places like Killarney and Listowel.
“I’m very worried for the future as they are attacking an industry minding its own business and doing its own thing. It would be very harmful to the industry if racing went off our screens. Do they want to shut down the industry completely and cost thousands of jobs?”
Since July 12, the Gambling Regulation Bill has been going through the report stage in the Dail Eireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament, where amendments arising out of the committee stage are being considered. It will then progress through the final stage in the before going through a similar process in the Seanad prior to being signed into law by the president.
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