The Irish National Bookmakers Association intend approaching the Government to block the controversial deal which allows the Paddy Power chain screen live pictures of Irish racing in their shops.

The association's spokesman Francis Hyland said yesterday: "We have to point out to the industry that while this deal may be good for the racecourses in the short term, in the long term it will be bad for racing."

Hyland added that his members were very upset with the deal between Paddy Power and the Association of Irish Racecourses.

"This deal was hatched behind a veil of secrecy. Even the racecourses themselves didn't know about it and we are shocked that the AIR sneaked off to do this deal without reference to anybody. "There is no protection put in at all for the on-course market and everyone knows that TV coverage is bad for attendances. Also, in effect, these pictures are not available to everyone because the technology isn't there to give them to everyone. Small betting shops just won't be able to compete," said Hyland.

That theme was added to by the Sean Graham organisation's Brian Graham, who refuted the AIR's claim that the pictures are available to everyone by pointing to an Aertel advert on RTE.

"That says that Powers have exclusive pictures, which totally contradicts what has been said. Small independent shops can't compete with that and can just forget about it from now on," Graham argued.