Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr John O'Donoghue, T.D. together with Mr Denis Brosnan, Chairman of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), today announced that Ireland's first all-weather racecourse will be built at Dundalk Stadium.
Dundalk's plans were given the go ahead when the Board of Horse Racing Ireland approved maximum grant aid of ?10.276m for the project at their meeting on Monday 26th September. The target opening date for the facility is Spring 2007.
Minister John O'Donoghue said: 'Dundalk's new all-weather racetrack will make history on a number of fronts: Ireland's first all-weather track, our first floodlit racetrack and the first combined horse and greyhound racing facility. It is an ambitious project and I am sure that it will be a successful one and a wonderful sporting and social asset for Dundalk, the North East and the entire border region.'
HRI Chairman Denis Brosnan said: 'In our Strategic Plan for the industry published in 2003 we made racecourse development and improvement the focus of our activity and undertook to create Ireland's first all-weather racecourse. I am delighted to see that promise coming to fruition today and I congratulate Dundalk Chairman, Leo McCauley and Chief Executive Jim Martin for the vision which they have shown, the work which has gone into the creation of their business plan and the level of investment which they have secured.'
I would also like to thank Minister John O'Donoghue and in doing so, acknowledge that the funding structures which he has created for horse and greyhound racing industries have given us the basis for long-term planning and enabled the creation of the Racecourse Capital Development Fund, which will see over ?110 million in HRI grant aid allocated to racecourse projects in the coming years. These grants will be matched by funding put up by the racecourses themselves.'
Leo McCauley said: ' I am delighted with HRI's decision to support our ambitious plans. On behalf of the Board of Dundalk Racing (1999) Ltd I would like to thank all sectors of the racing industry for the help and support which we have received. We look forward to building a facility that the industry will be proud of.'
Bord na gCon Chairman, Paschal Taggart said: 'Bord na gCon will contribute grant aid of ?2m to help fund the extension of the existing grandstand. We very much welcome the creation of this unique horse and greyhound racing venture. Since Dundalk opened for greyhound racing in 2003 it has been one of our most successful stadiums. The addition of an all-weather track and the extra crowd capacity that will be created can only have a positive effect for both sports.'
