Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would like our committee to get in touch with the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Public Expenditure and Reform to ask for the rationale behind the decision to award a salary package to the new CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, HRI, that is worth more than €52,000 above the agreed rate. The CEO's starting salary was initially set at €137,356. Reportedly, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine successfully advocated in favour of a salary and car allowance worth in excess of €203,000. This is a matter of public interest. HRI receives a substantial package of taxpayer funding annually. Therefore, it is imperative that we get a sense of the basis on which this decision was made.