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

Yes, point 1 deals with our query in respect of an exit package to the former CEO of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. Almost throughout the tenure of that CEO, there were quite regular discussions on how his salary was kept confidential. It was one of the few heads of statutory boards for which the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform had allowed the salary package to be kept confidential and it was never disclosed. There was quite a good deal of controversy around that matter, so much so that the IHRB ensured that the salary of the new CEO is publicly available, which is only correct. It beggars belief that in that context, the IHRB then agreed to an exit package on a confidential basis and subjected both parties, we are told, to a legally binding non-disclosure agreement. This is not the correct way to do business and I suggest in the first instance that we inquire whether the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform agreed to this process being confidential and if so, why?

I also suggest we contact the IHRB to clarify who sought that this provision would be confidential and legally binding as a non-disclosure agreement.

I welcome a number of details in respect of the CCTV installation at racetracks. That is an issue which this committee has raised on a number of occasions. Horse Racing Ireland tells us that it has installed CCTV at six tracks, that these facilities will be installed at 20 tracks by the end of the year, and that the remainder will be installed by the first quarter of next year.

I ask the secretariat to ensure we follow up early in the new year to ensure the 20 tracks have been completed and that we are on course to all of them having CCTV installed by the end of quarter 1 of 2023. In respect of the confirmation that CCTV has been installed across six tracks, the discussions that have been raised were specific to stableyards. It would be useful to have confirmation that the site figures relate to the stableyards within those sites and within the other tracks in which CCTV is due to be installed. We might also ask for a briefing note on who will have access to the CCTV footage, who can request access and in which circumstances it can be accessed by those authorities that have provision to do so.