Ireland has been annually allocating a guaranteed, ring-fenced fund to support horse and greyhound racing for 25 years, amounting to roughly €2.5 billion to date. This fund, established by a 2001 law, mandates payments indexed to inflation regardless of actual betting tax revenue, which was abolished simultaneously. Unlike other public needs such as healthcare or elder support, which must compete for funding, this racing fund receives unquestioned, automatic government backing every year without scrutiny or accountability.

The distribution heavily favors horse racing, receiving about 80% of the fund, with prize money largely benefiting wealthy owners, while greyhound racing, a declining and controversial sport marked by cruelty concerns, receives nearly €20 million annually despite minimal public interest. Critics argue that this longstanding, unchallenged subsidy is an outdated scandal, calling for the fund to be subject to normal budgetary review and redirected toward more deserving public priorities.