Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I hate to be critical, but nearly an hour has been spent on one contributor. I see on the screen that there are an awful lot of people looking to get in.

I have questions for the Department following up on what we have heard and I also have questions about last night's television programme, though I do not know if the witnesses are in a position to answer them at this stage. Some €96 million was allocated to the horse and greyhound racing fund in budget 2021, and €76.8 million of that went to HRI. According to the Department's submission to the committee, an investigation division was established in 2014, with three of the main purposes being:

1. To support [the Department], its agencies and other relevant Bodies [like the IHRB] by providing the capability to have investigations carried out as requested and to ensure that such investigations are carried out to a standard that will withstand legal scrutiny.

2. To contribute to [the Department's] capacity in horizon scanning and risk analysis.

3. To support the implementation of control regimes and the development of legislation underpinning these within [the Department] and its agencies as required.

What does the Department have to say to the whistleblowers who have been critical of the IHRB's handling of these allegations? If they were to contact the Department directly, what would its course of action be? Have such allegations come across the witnesses' desks directly? If so, what actions have they taken? Since this controversy arose, I have been refused details about the number and nature of concerns that have been submitted to the IHRB's hotline. Much of what we have heard from the IHRB we have to take on good faith. Would the Department consider demanding a full account of the allegations that have been made to the IHRB and how these allegations have been assessed? Has the Department considered holding an inquiry into the operations of the IHRB and HRI to ensure full transparency at this stage and to ensure that all allegations are being fully followed up?

There seems to be a difference of opinion between the IHRB and the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association about whether authorised officers should conduct inspections without the presence of a vet. Is the Department aware of this difference of opinion and what is its view on that? Why were the results of the PRISM Leadership and Change Consultingemployee survey? These have not been made public. Millions of euro of taxpayers' money are given to the industry each year, but we are not allowed to see the issues that report may have uncovered. Are the witnesses comfortable with the lack of transparency there?

Those are just my questions on what we have dealt with already. I would like to come back in later to ask about last night's programme, but I know there are more members wishing to get in. Maybe we can get those answers first.