Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is incredibly unusual and it is incredibly unregulated. I have not gotten my head around it but I am learning more every day.

Mr. Kavanagh has correctly identified retention of staff as a key problem for the industry. It is obviously a key problem for the people working there as well.

The witness has said that Irish people are good with horses and love horses. That is true. However, I am sure he is aware that the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association is lobbying two Departments to allow the re-issuing of permits to staff from outside the European Union. Could the witness explain that? Does that not verify the casual conditions of employment? If one wants to retain staff, one should pay them well and respect them. How can that be squared with the fact that Horse Racing Ireland brokered a deal with the ISSA, which has no members and did not vote on that agreement, to bring in a new pay deal which contains a patently illegal clause and argues for a breach of the Organisation of Working Time Act, an exemption which has no basis in law? How could that be? Brokering a pay deal with the ISSA sitting on the board is like having a football match with one side owning the referee and the other side's coach. How could that possibly benefit the stable staff?