Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regarding approval, the details have not been sent to the Department, the Minister, Deputy Michael Creed, or me. The approval of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform must also be obtained. We are not at liberty because the Department of Education and Skills has requested that full details of the sale not be disclosed because of market sensitivities. There has been due process in a transparent way.

Sacking the board is a very simple populist notion. No current member was a member of the board when the decision was taken to develop the new stadium in Limerick, which marked the beginning of the legacy debt. Indecon recommended that the board be strengthened with certain skill levels and that has happened. This is a thankless job and the board has progressed to work down the debt. It is a commercial semi-State company with a duty to manage the greyhound industry. We can play our part with new legislation to try to underpin it, but essentially we have to have confidence in the board to do its job. That is what it is there for. All appointments since 2015 have been made through the independent appointments service. We have not engaged or interfered with it. In line with Indecon's recommendations, those appointed have legal, veterinary, financial and banking skills. People speak about the board, but its membership has changed fundamentally.

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