Professor Patrick Wall:

The sport horse is an industry too. We have just completed a strategy, Reaching New Heights, through which we are trying to develop the sector for the breeding and production of competition and leisure horses, which form a global industry. We want to make Ireland the go-to place for horses for all levels of riders. Since the sector is worth €700 million to the economy and accounts for approximately 16,000 jobs, we are just as interested in equine welfare and disease. Mr. Kavanagh rightly pointed out that gathering many horses together poses a risk of disease transmission. When horses go racing, they often return carrying diseases that they spread among themselves. The biosecurity levels of some trainers' operations differ from others'. Many trainers speak of going to racetracks where the stables are not always cleaned and disinfected between race days. That presents an opportunity to spread disease. This issue must be addressed.

The report on the trial run in Dundalk will be sent to this committee. Dundalk mimicked what happens in Fairyhouse. The Turf Club observed and two vets were present to supervise. The committee must await the final report but nothing untoward was observed and the visits to the yards will occur in due course.

As Deputy Ó Cuív stated, we took in the homeless child. We take in all comers because we try to be helpful to everyone. We do not have access to tracks, so we cannot help people the way they want to be helped. We do not have legislation, govern betting or so on. If tracks are not used all of the time and are vacant, I take the point that they could be adapted instead of new facilities being developed.

Senator O'Donovan referred to inspections. We are not stopping them. Rather, we are reviewing the inspection process to ensure that it is effective and value for money. We are trying to develop the sector. Sometimes, the status quois not good enough and must be changed. This is a process of continuous improvement. A radical reform is under way. We are trying to make the situation better, not worse. We want everyone to be a winner. We are conducting a detailed analysis on which every breeder will have an opportunity to express a view before we make any major change.