Mr. Darragh O'Loughlin:

On behalf of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, IHRB, I thank the Chair and members of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine for the invitation

to appear today. I am joined by my colleagues. Dr. Lynn Hillyer, chief veterinary officer; and, in the Public Gallery, Mr. Niall Cronin, head of communications and strategy. The IHRB is an all-island body established in 2018 as the independent regulatory body for horse racing in Ireland. The horse racing industry supports more than 30,000 jobs and contributes €2.46 billion to the economy. Under the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016, the IHRB is solely and independently responsible for making and enforcing the rules of racing, licensing all participants and regulating horse racing, including anti-doping and handicapping. The IHRB is also responsible for the representation of Irish horse racing internationally in respect of its functions under the Act and is a member of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. The IHRB exists to safeguard the reputation of Irish horse racing through robust and transparent regulatory practices, implemented with uncompromising integrity by a focused and professional team. Over recent years, we have made significant advances in critical areas, including the strengthening of the organisation’s board and governance and closer collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Horse Racing Ireland and other important stakeholders. This includes entering into memorandums of understanding with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and with the Veterinary Council of Ireland in respect of certain functions and activities. The IHRB abides by the requirements for a non-commercial State body in the code of practice for the governance of State bodies. We operate under a recently revised and strengthened service level agreement with Horse Racing Ireland and meet at least quarterly with HRI to ensure transparency and oversight of the horse racing integrity services budget. It is the ambition of the board and management to position the IHRB as a world-class regulator for horse racing, with a focus on excellence in the delivery of our core functions.

Following extensive internal and external consultations with stakeholders across and outside the horse-racing industry, the IHRB has developed a renewed strategy for the coming years to assure public trust in Irish horse racing, applying the highest professional standards within a robust governance framework and rigorous probity regime, as we continue to improve our efficiency and effectiveness.

The committee is aware that, in late June, an issue emerged that related to financial governance within the organisation. Although there did not appear to be any question of misappropriation or personal gain, it was immediately brought to the attention of the IHRB's audit and risk committee, and to the chairman and board of the IHRB. Additionally, the details were disclosed to the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Horse Racing Ireland and were brought to the attention of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The board of the IHRB, with the support of HRI, commissioned an external review, to be conducted by an independent firm, Mazars. This review, which is ongoing, involves a thorough examination of six years' worth of financial and other records and interviews with relevant individuals. At its conclusion, which we anticipate should be within weeks, the findings will be published and the recommendations will be acted upon.

Equine anti-doping remains a top priority for the horse racing sector, and the IHRB has no tolerance for any rule breaches in this regard, as indicated by the sanctions handed down for such offences. An independent review of the IHRB equine anti-doping programme carried out last year concluded that we "at least match international best practice ... and have made significant advances in recent years". The review made recommendations that it stated were capable of enhancing the robustness of the programme's processes, capabilities and capacities but noted that the implementation of some or all of these recommendations will require the provision of more funding and resources. Recommendations that could be implemented without significant cost implications have been or are being implemented. However, there are some high-priority recommendations that require additional funding. Plans are in place to implement these remaining recommendations when resources allow.

Our anti-doping strategy continues to evolve and operates on a sophisticated risk-and-intelligence basis, backed by rigorous processes of investigation and follow-through in the event of an adverse analytical finding. The appointment of 12 authorised officers allows the IHRB to gain access to any thoroughbred in any location at any time. This enables us to take the right sample from the right horse, in the right place and at the right time, to maximise the likelihood of detecting prohibited substances if they are present, deter those who might be tempted to cheat through doping and disrupt inappropriate activities. It was through such action that the largest doping case in Irish racing history was successfully detected and prosecuted this year. We have provided a table that illustrates the scope of the IHRB's equine anti-doping programme.

The IHRB carries out its functions through a team of 25 experienced staff in the Curragh and over 100 highly trained, professional racing officials at race meetings across the island who ensure that the safety and integrity of the sport are maintained. The IHRB also relies on over 140 volunteer race-day stewards and committee members, who lend their professional expertise to ensure Irish horse racing adheres to the rules and is properly governed at all levels.

Recent years have brought unprecedented challenges in the administration and regulation of horse racing. IHRB staff and volunteers have risen to these challenges. I thank them for their dedication, commitment and professionalism, which enable us to be an adaptable, responsive and high-performing organisation, serving the horse racing community and safeguarding the €2.5 billion thoroughbred industry, which supports over 30,000 jobs nationwide.

I thank members for their attention. I and my colleagues will now answer any questions they may have.