Racing industry rides off with 67m as tribunal budgets soar

CHARLIE McCREEVY looked after his racing industry pals again yesterday, with another 67 million for horse and greyhound racing.

As the furore over his special treatment of Punchestown’s event centre dragged on, the Minister for Finance continued with his largesse for the racing industry, with the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund getting an increase of 3.2m from the Department of Sports budget on last year’s allocation.

Victims of child abuse in religious institutions will be paid up to 115m in compensation next year, while Tribunals of Inquiry will cost the taxpayer almost 30m in 2004, according to the Book of Estimates.