Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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We will do that. I thank Deputy Carthy.

The next correspondence is No. 565B. I propose that we take No. 592B along with this because they both relate to the same matter. No. 565B, dated 7 May 2021, is from Mr. Denis Egan, chief executive of the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board, IHRB, and provides information requested by the committee on CCTV. At our meeting last week, we agreed to note and publish this item and agreed that any future engagement would include both the IHRB and Horse Racing Ireland, HRI. We also requested clarity regarding the number of racetracks covered by CCTV. The response is No. 597B, which states:

The 2018 Budget provided €60,000 for the installation of CCTV. This was estimated to cover three racecourses at an estimated cost of €20,000 per racecourse. The 2019 budget provided €80,000 for the installation of CCTV. This was estimated to cover four racecourses again based on a cost of €20,000 per racecourse. The figures included are estimates and had the project commenced a full procurement process would have had to have been completed before the projects could have commenced.

What is peculiar about this is, according to the statement, money was provided for seven. We know from previous engagements when HRI representatives were before the committee that only one racecourse in the three-year period had CCTV provided and there was a plan to provide CCTV in one more. In total, there are 25 racecourses to be covered. The overall figure was, as I recall, €18 million with money being reused for other purposes. The response would seem to be completely unsatisfactory. The response said that the cost of installing CCTV was estimated at €20,000 per racecourse. It seems three or four tracks were covered. It is clear that when we take the combined sum there is money provided for seven.

In further correspondence, reference is made to the procurement process commencing for all racecourses. This has gone on for three years. We are trying to address a simple matter of getting CCTV cameras erected. We need to follow this to ensure it happens because the integrity of the horse racing sector is at stake. It is an important industry and it is important that we protect it. Deputy Catherine Murphy has indicated that she wishes to comes in on this.