Irish racing to receive increased funding from government in 2025 as budget reveals support of €79.28m

The Irish government will increase its contribution to racing next year by more than €3 million after the 2025 budget revealed funding of €79.28m to the industry. 

That is a 4.3 per cent increase on the 2024 figure of €76m. There was more good news as it was announced that the first year of funding has also been allocated to the redevelopment of the Irish Equine Centre, located outside Naas in County Kildare.

An €8.3bn budget was unveiled by the government in Ireland on Tuesday and will "put the country on a firm footing for the future" according to Jack Chambers, the minister for finance. The Irish racing industry has been one of the winners, with Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Suzanne Eade "very pleased" about the increased funding.

Eade said: "We have received a budget allocation of €79.28m, a 4.3 per cent uplift on 2024. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has also set aside the first year of funding towards the redevelopment of the Irish Equine Centre. 

"We're very pleased to have received the continued support for the industry from the department. HRI’s budgeting process for 2025 is already under way and will be focused on key strategic priorities for the industry."

After being allocated €76m by the government for 2024, prize-money levels in Ireland rose by €1.3m to a record high of €69.4m. Another boost to purses will be expected in 2025. 

It will be interesting to see whether the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board receives any extra funding this time to go towards its anti-doping programme for 2025. Despite a seven per cent increase in integrity funding last year, the IHRB did not get any extra cash to implement various recommendations as a result of an independent review by Dr Craig Suann into its equine anti-doping programme. 

There was an €800,000 increase this year for equine welfare, which was allocated €3.5m, but funding for the IHRB's operations remained at €11.4m.

HRI published its 2025 fixture list last Friday, which will see the overall number of fixtures remain at 395 as well as a provision for all of Tipperary's 11 scheduled meetings to be reallocated should its redevelopment, which is estimated will cost around €18 million, get under way. 

Once complete, the new facility is projected to gain 20 extra fixtures a year, with 25 Flat meetings on the all-weather and six being retained over jumps on the turf. Plans include a new grandstand in phase two, with ambitions in phase three to convert Tipperary into a start-up training facility with on-site barns. Once it is open in autumn 2026, it will provide for schooling gallops on a daily basis.

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