Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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416. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to bodies represented by board members of HRI, which bodies are in receipt of funding, provided by taxpayers, from HRI for the body which they represent on the board of HRI, whether directly or indirectly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33361/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.

The composition of the board of HRI is provided for by the Horse Racing Ireland Act, approved by the Oireachtas in 2016.  The Act provides for a broad spectrum of  representation from the Irish horseracing industry, both North and South of the Border, and includes representatives of the Racing Regulatory Body, authorised racecourses, breeders, owners, stable staff and the betting sector. 

In addition, the HRI Act 2016 provides for three Ministerial nominees, and these will be appointed through the Public Appointments service. A number of nominating bodies receive funding from HRI. This is inevitable, but I am satisfied that the configuration of the board is appropriate, with a sufficiently broad spectrum of representation and processes and procedures which provide for reasonable checks and balances in the system.