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

That was a long argument but this is a very important issue.

The arguments here are whether we should put the rules of horseracing in legislation or whether we leave them out and let the regulatory body apply the rules as it sees fit, applying natural justice and so on. There are real dangers with defining rules of racing in law because it then becomes an interpretation of the Bill as opposed to allowing a regulatory body to design and defend the rules of horseracing, as they are determined.

Having listened to the arguments and having spoken to various people and got advice on it, my inclination is to accept amendment No. 40 to avoid the uncertainty and the potential difficulties that may arise by trying to define in full sanctions and appeals around the rules of horseracing in the legislation and simply to remove section 13 from the Bill. On balance, that is the reasonable and probably the safer thing to do at this stage. The people who have been making the arguments for that will welcome this. I propose to accept Deputy Penrose's amendment No. 40 and on that basis, I will not move my amendments Nos. 41 to 43, inclusive.

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