Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 29 June 2023

Public Accounts Committee

Financial Statements 2021: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board

9:30 am

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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I want to move on to some of the questions that I have for Mr. O'Loughlin. I want to begin by dealing with the former CEO's early retirement or redundancy, or a combination of both. On 11 May 2021, the then CEO indicated an early retirement and redundancy scheme would be put in place. Exactly a month later, on 11 June, the CEO applied for and was granted early retirement. Obviously, a scheme was set out. It was to stay within the amounts set out. There was €142,000, or 58% more than the amount payable if the scheme conditions had been applied as stated to the CEO, so the CEO benefited from €142,000 additional. Some of that money appears to have been made up by a grant or loan from the Turf Club. Why would the IHRB receive a contribution from a private company to top up an individual who is not an employee of the Turf Club?