Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

To come in on that last point, Mr. Osborne might have thought I was trying to get at him, but it is very important that as a country with a history of jockeys developing at a young age, and who leave the academic system in the same way as soccer players, we would encompass their welfare as much as the animals they are riding. By this, I mean they should have a qualified traineeship behind them before they leave the academic system. It is as simple as that. They should be given this option as an alternative. We need to support RACE. I ask Mr. O'Loughlin to ensure that this happens in future. From what we have just heard, and I know that Ms Eade was previously on the board of RACE, it seems we have nothing else in place. We were given a very flowery document, which is lovely but does not tell us anything. There is nothing in it with regard to what a replacement would be or what the criteria would be for accreditation. I ask the witnesses to take this aspect very seriously before they come in here next year and there are any further complaints in this regard.