Dundalk faces another INBA protest tonight.

Byline: Brian Fleming

A PEACEFUL protest will again be staged by members of the Irish National Bookmakers Association and their staff at Dundalk this evening, writes Brian Fleming.

Ciaran O'Tierney, spokesman for the bookmakers, said yesterday: "We are not trying to stop the meeting or anything like that as this is another peaceful protest and we'll be handing out leaflets explaining our stance on this matter."

Negotiations have broken down on several occasions in an attempt to resolve the ongoing dispute, in which the INBA is requesting that old seniority betting ring rules should apply to the new all weather complex at Dundalk.

Just a dozen bookmakers have stood up at the County Louth track since it opened in August, resulting in low turnover figures in the betting ring in recent weeks, ranging from EUR160,000 to a EUR250,000.

"We are continuing with our legal action to seek damages and everyone is forgetting the punter in all this, and the betting figures, which have been extremely low since this Grade 1 track opened," added O'Tierney.

"They are the lowest in Ireland and consequently the betting ring is not working for on-course or offcourse punters."

A large turnout of protesters is expected.

"I expect 100 or more to turn up on the night comprising of bookmakers and their staff represented by SIPTU," said O'Tierney.