Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure whether the Minister is choosing to misunderstand or if he just does not get it, but the reality is that there is a deep crisis within horse racing and an urgent need to have a capable, strong Horse Racing Ireland board. That is obvious and well known. The people the Minister appointed happen to be people with very developed connections to Coolmore Stud. There is a belief, which is not an abstract one, that there is an excessive influence by big players in the market. The Minister might like to comment on some of the crises around horse racing, for example, the foal levy, which is crippling small owners. There was an important court case in Naas last week where an owner who had won a case was met by the top legal establishment, if one likes, who was marshalled there by Horse Racing Ireland, to get the decision overturned. We know, for example, that it has a big impact on small owners.

The Minister might like to comment on the fact that it is widely known that foals at a major stud in Kildare are registered in the UK where the fees are lower and an arrangement for a contribution is made to HRI despite the fact that under regulations, any foals born in Ireland must be registered in Ireland. Unhelpful and wrong practices are taking place and the Minister needs strong people on the board. Why is he putting in insiders to police themselves?

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