Results 2,181-2,200 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: I read that in The Irish Times. I may be wrong and may be open to correction but Mr. Grassick may check it. What are his views on the US anti-doping agency coming in and doing an examination of what is happening in Irish racing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: Does Mr. Grassick think it is appropriate that those involved in buying and selling of bloodstock are also charged with overseeing the regulator in charge of anti-doping? Is that not a clear conflict of interest? In America, the new governing body will have five independent members with no association with racing and four members with an association with racing but no active links. Does...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: The two questions were with regard to the buying of bloodstock and the same people regulating the regulator.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: With regard to the governing body, does Mr. Grassick think there should be more independent people on the boards?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: Yes. With regard to regulation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: Those are my questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: On a point of order, I am a member of the committee and I expect to be able to come in before those who are not members of the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: I do not care whether he is or is not. I am a member of the committee, I attend the meetings and I expect to be brought in before those who are not members of the committee. I have had my hand up from the very beginning of the meeting and I am disappointed, but that is fine, Chairman. Go ahead. I just want to put on the record that I am disappointed. It has always been an unwritten rule...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: No, he does not. The members of the committee do. You can check that rule, Chairman. I have been a long time in the Dáil and there has always been an unwritten rule in the Houses that the committee members get in first and other people who come in when it suits them are let in afterwards. You can check that as Chairman, but that has always been an unwritten rule in the Houses, and I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: That is okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: No, it is not. The Senator is not a member of the committee. It is nothing personal against Senator Mullen, but I am a member of the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: We want to get on to that, and if we have to stay another hour or two, I do not mind, but there has always been an unwritten rule in committees that whoever is on the committee gets the right to speak first. I have nothing against Senator Mullen. He is a good representative. He may be substituting, but a substitute is only a substitute in any sport.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: I have a few simple questions. Dr. Hillyer said 2,449 samples were taken in the first six months of the year, 28% of which were taken as part of the out-of-competition testing programme. Is there a list of who was tested? How do we get that list? Has it been published? If it has not been published, why not? I was advised that certain yards are constantly tested while others are not. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: I asked why the same yards are being visited. That was an allegation made to me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: Within the past six months have any blood, urine or hair samples ever gone missing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: What about the six months previous to that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: In terms of the current cases, is Dr. Hillyer aware of an injunction being taken out regarding a scheduled hearing? Is that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: That is fine. Did the IHRB take any steps to follow up on the contaminated feed issue last autumn? Did it do anything about that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: I thank the Chair. I refer to the whistleblower and Mr. Paul Kimmage. I was Minister of State with responsibility for sport. Mr. Kimmage has been consistent, brave and honest all his life regarding all sports. Horse racing is a sport and we must protect it and the industry. There are a lot of jobs in the industry that are very valuable to the country. At the same time, spectators must...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Alleged Issues in the Horse Racing Industry: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Michael Ring: I missed that, sorry.