Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy appears to emphatically refuse to acknowledge that our testing regime is compliant with international best standards. In fact, what HRI and the Turf Club have been involved with is to step ahead of the minimum international requirement of the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities, which we meet, and put in place a best-in-class system to deal with horses that are outside of training. That, in fairness, is the objective of the task force that was convened - it is representative of all of the stakeholders in the industry - which would build on the commitment that the industry has in terms of investment in new laboratory facilities to become an international reference laboratory in such matters. The direction of travel, in fact, is quite positive. There is, as the Deputy references, a cohort outside of training where there are jurisdictional issues in terms of access but one should bear in mind we meet the highest and required international standards, and what this task force is attempting to do is to take us ahead of the international standard and to give us a reach in respect of all horses.

See this speech in context