Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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596. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will call for a review of a case (details supplied) by an independent, impartial body in relation to the new evidence in connection with Horse Racing Ireland and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board published in the media on 5 July 2021. [37518/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001. The Horse Racing Ireland Act, 2016 provides that HRI is responsible for the overall administration, governance, development and promotion of the Irish horse racing industry, and for guaranteeing funding to the Racing Regulatory Body to carry out its functions through an integrity services budget which is agreed annually

As from 1st January 2018, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is the regulatory body for all horseracing in Ireland.  The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is a company limited by guarantee set up by the Turf Club (established 1790) and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee (established 1866) for the purpose of carrying out the regulatory and licensing functions for Irish horseracing .

This body is responsible for protecting the integrity and reputation of Irish horseracing in Ireland.

The Irish Horseracing Industry Act 1994, (as amended)  provides for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) to have the following functions

- to regulate horseracing

- to make and enforce the Rules of Racing an in so doing to promote integrity and fair play in horseracing

- to provide adequate integrity services for horseracing, and

- to license racecourses under the Rules of Racing

I am satisfied that the existing structures and systems are sufficiently robust to manage any integrity issues that may arise in Irish horse racing and that all currently matters being raised will be investigated and appropriately dealt with.