Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 29 November 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Governance Issues: Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (Resumed)

Dr. Lynn Hillyer:

I have put in what I think is more and I have submitted what is a reasonably increase to allow us to get the coverage we need. I have said before that it is not just about the numbers we take; it is how we use the information that comes from those samples. For example, one of Dr. Suann's recommendations was to have an individual sampling history of every horse and that protective element that Mr. O'Loughlin talked about. That is really important. It is as important as increasing numbers. We need to do many different things together to make the most of the resource we have. Having the right people who are trained, know what they are doing, are enthusiastic about what they are doing and want to do the job well, is as important as increasing numbers, so I am very focused on that with my team as well.