CHAMPION jockey-turned-Fine Gael MEP candidate Nina Carberry is worried about the impact the Government’s gambling legislation will have on Irish horse racing and claims: “There is a lot going to be affected.”
The Coalition is pushing ahead with legislation banning TV adverts from bookmakers before 9pm — ruling out gambling ads during coverage of Irish horse racing.
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The two biggest racing broadcasters, Racing TV and At The Races, have both warned they could be forced to leave Ireland because their coverage may become unviable.
Horse Racing Ireland claims it could devastate the industry and lead to job losses.
Former Grand National winner Nina comes from a family steeped in rich horse racing history.
She is running in the Midlands North West for Fine Gael — one of the parties behind the new gambling laws.
Speaking to the Irish Sun from the campaign trail, former Dancing With The Stars contestant Nina bucked the party line and said: “Yeah it’s a big worry for the industry, but we also have to remember the people that are getting affected by gambling as well so listen, it’s still in discussion.
“I think it is a very complex decision you know, it has to be in discussion and it’s still in the Oireachtas now, but there is a lot of impact that will happen to Irish racing if it goes through, but we have to realise people are affected by gambling as well.”
Pressed on whether she has any issues with the gambling laws going ahead as they currently are, Nina said: “We have to make sure.
“The racing industry employs so many people – over 30,000 people indirectly and directly – so there is a lot going to be affected if there is going to be impacts on that.
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“So that will need to be kept in consideration.”
The Gambling Regulations Bill was brought in by the Coalition to tackle the growing problem of gambling addiction with an ERSI study recently claiming that there are 130,000 problem gamblers in Ireland.
The bill was recently passed in the Dail and will move to Committee stage of the Seanad where some amendments may be made before it jumps the final hurdles on the way to becoming law.
The Coalition has also created a new Gambling Regulator as part of the new law who – when the legislation is passed – will be backed up by powers to issue multi million euro fines to bookies in breach of the laws.
Carberry believes that this new regulator can work with the horse racing industry to mitigate any negative impacts of the gambling laws.
She told the Irish Sun: “We do realise that it is going to be a big impact on Irish racing so hopefully the regulators can keep that in mind.
‘Gambling problems’
“But we do have to keep in mind that there are gambling problems there and they have to be looked after too.”
While she is aware that the gambling legislation is very much a domestic issue for her Government at the moment, Carberry says she will keep a watchful eye in Europe on any legislation that may impact Irish racing if she is elected.
She said: “It is at a national level at the minute but it’s something I would keep an eye on, yes.”
Nina says she turned to politics because she wants to make a difference for the future and specifically decided to go for Europe because of the profile she has after her career as a jockey and her winning stint on Dancing With The Stars.
Main issues
The main issues she wants to tackle if elected to Europe are backing farmers, winning investment for transport and amenities and getting supports for businesses.
Nina’s constituency rival Aontu’s Paedar Toibin has challenged her to a live broadcast and questioned why Fine Gael have not but her out on a cross-party live debate.
In response, the former jockey says she’s not afraid to take on her rivals as she said: “Well I’ve done the IFA husting and the Chamber of Commerce business hustings as well so I don’t know where he’s getting that.”
‘No rivalry’
Nina is running alongside Fine Gael’s last celebrity candidate, former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh, in Midlands North West.
Asked if there was a rivalry between the two in the same constituency, Nina said: “No, she’s based on the west and I’m on the east so we’re going for the two seats.
“We’re geographically positioned very well. I’m learning all the time on the campaign as well and listening to all the issues so they are my main focus and bringing them to Europe.”