Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not in favour of giving any particular representative organisation rights where many other representative organisations claim an equal interest. There are already well-established arrangements that are working well. The current media rights negotiation process works reasonably well and most people are quite happy with it. We had a long debate on Committee Stage about trying to maintain the current arrangements in terms of getting the best deal possible for media rights. It is in the interests of racehorse owners and everybody else in racing that there is a team of people who know what they are doing, are experienced and understand the industry so that they can get the best deals possible around media rights. It is the broader board in HRI that ratifies the deal. It must consult with racecourses and finalise the deal. The main board makes the final decisions. The sub-board for media rights negotiates in order to get the best possible deal. The body that finalises the ratifying of media rights is HRI. There is a guaranteed place for horse owners on HRI.

The Deputy makes valid points on the ratifying and finalising of deals in the best interests of the sport. Owners are fundamentally important in this. If we start prescribing the bodies that must contribute to that a five person committee, which brings back proposals to be ratified by HRI, we would limit the options in putting a balanced skill set in place. HRI must make decisions arising from that work. I understand the points being made and, more than most, I know the importance of owners. Without owners, there is nothing but owners would want to ensure that the media rights committee is made up of five of the most able people possible so as to get the best deals for media rights. That sub-board comes back to the HRI board for ratification and the owners are represented there. That structure makes sense and we are providing for it. It is the current structure and everybody seems to be reasonably happy with the current media rights deals.

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