Ms Caroline Ball:

I am pleased to attend to provide further information following on from the committee's report Horse Racing in Ireland. I am accompanied by my colleagues Mr. Michael Sheahan and Mr. Tim Drea.

Over the past two years, a number of reports emerged in the media alleging malpractice with regard to integrity issues in Irish horse racing. These reports naturally raised concerns in an industry that is hugely valuable to the rural economy. On foot of these reports, the committee invited officials from this Department and executives from HRI, the IHRB and the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association to a series of meetings in July 2021 to discuss anti-doping processes and systems in horse racing.

Following these meetings, this committee issued a report in November 2021 entitled Horse Racing in Ireland, which included 11 recommendations. The Department welcomes the report, as do HRI and the IHRB. We thank members for the considerable work invested in it and note that the report is broadly positive in content.

Along with the other bodies, the Department was heartened to see the regime of testing and anti-doping measures receive a favourable analysis in the independent review of the IHRB equine anti-doping programme conducted by Dr. Craig Suann. He was broadly satisfied that the IHRB processes "at least match international best practice in most respects" and that the body "has made significant advances in recent years".

The recommendations in the joint committee's report have been carefully considered by the relevant bodies in parallel with those made by Dr. Suann in his report. The Department will continue to work with other relevant stakeholders to ensure the highest standards of integrity and welfare are maintained. The people of Ireland will not support horse racing if it is seen to be tainted with integrity concerns. Efforts to counteract the issue of drug taking in any sport, including horse racing, are part of ongoing integrity development processes.

With regard to the organisation of horse racing, HRI is a commercial State body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001. It is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry. It falls under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. As of 1 January 2018, the IHRB has been the statutory regulatory body for all horse racing in Ireland. Its role is provided for in the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 and subsequent statutory instruments. However, the body itself remains a private entity. The Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 provides for a funding mechanism under which the costs of integrity services provided by the IHRB are guaranteed by HRI annually. With regard to Exchequer funding for horse racing, section 12 of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 provides for Exchequer support to given to the horse and greyhound racing industries through the horse and greyhound racing fund. Some €88 million was allocated to the fund in budget 2022, of which €70.4 million was allocated to HRI.

As to the Department’s role in regulation, the Department is the principal regulator of the agrifood sector while the IHRB regulates horse racing, as I have outlined. There are compliance issues that are of interest to both regulatory bodies. These specifically relate to the use and supply of illegal substances in racing and the inappropriate use and supply of veterinary medicines for use in equines. Animal welfare is another such issue. Certain areas where the Department has regulatory responsibilities may involve prosecution through the courts. In these cases, Department-authorised officers lead or advise on investigations, prepare prosecution files and liaise with the Chief State Solicitor's office or the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to see cases through the court system.

In August 2020, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine formally signed a memorandum of understanding between his Department and the IHRB providing for officers of the IHRB to be given powers as authorised officers by the Minister under section 10 of the Animal Remedies Act 1993, as amended, thus enhancing the IHRB’s investigative powers with regard to the use of animal remedies. This memorandum aims to advance the already collaborative working arrangements between the Department and the IHRB to improve the oversight, investigative and enforcement powers of the horse racing industry to support animal welfare and to strengthen domestic and international confidence in its brand. While it extends the powers of the IHRB officers, the memorandum of understanding does not alter the criteria or sanctioning process of the IHRB. Related prosecutions will remain at the discretion of the Department.

On the response to the committee’s report on horse racing, the committee will have received a letter from the Minister earlier this week setting out the observations of the Department, HRI and the IHRB to the recommendations in the committee’s report and providing an update on actions or activities undertaken. I thank members for their attention. My colleagues and I are available to provide any further clarifications and to take any questions.