Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2023
441. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether an external review into the discrepancies identified in accounts of the IHRB (details supplied) will be commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46677/23]
View answerHorse 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 Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is the regulatory body for all horseracing in Ireland. The IHRB is a company limited by guarantee. The Turf Club and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee transferred the regulatory functions together with related assets and liabilities to the company under a business transfer agreement on 1 January 2018. While the role of the IHRB as the regulatory body for horseracing is provided for in legislation, the body itself remains a private entity.
Relevant legislation also provides for a funding mechanism to be in place under which the costs of integrity services provided by the IHRB are guaranteed by HRI based on an agreed annual budget. A significant amount of the annual funding allocated to the IHRB from HRI, is derived from funding HRI itself receives from my Department via the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund (HGRF). Formal oversight of the IHRB is maintained by HRI.
The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for HRI, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.
