On behalf of the IHRB, I want to thank the Chair and the members of the Committee of Public Accounts for the invitation to appear. As the Chair said, my name is Darragh O'Loughlin. I was appointed chief executive officer of the IHRB in June 2022.
I am joined by my colleague, Niall Cronin, who is our head of communications and strategy.
The IHRB was established in 2018 by the Turf Club and the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, INHSC, to carry out the regulatory and licensing functions assigned to the racing regulatory body under the Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016. The mission of the board is to ensure the reputation of Irish horse racing and confidence in the sport are protected by robust and transparent regulatory practices and implemented with integrity by a professional and progressive team. Under the legislation, the IHRB is solely and independently responsible for the making and enforcing of the rules of racing and it operates under a service level agreement with Horse Racing Ireland, HRI, regarding the provision of horse-racing integrity services. The Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016 provides that HRI is responsible for guaranteeing funding to the IHRB to carry out its functions through an integrity services budget, which is agreed annually.
The IHRB is the internationally recognised racing body for Ireland in respect of its functions. It is a member of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and is signatory to the international agreement on racing and breeding which provides the basis for international racing. Although not a statutory body, the IHRB abides by the underlying principles of good governance - accountability, transparency, probity and a focus on the sustainable success of the organisation over the longer term - and aligns with the requirements of a non-commercial State body as set out in the code of practice for the governance of State bodies. The IHRB is governed by a board of eight directors, three each nominated by the Turf Club and the INHSC, all of whom serve without remuneration, and, as of this year, two independent directors. The IHRB board gender ratio is 5:3 male to female. In addition, the IHRB has appointed an independent chairperson to its audit and risk committee. Responsibility for day-to-day operational matters is vested in the senior management team led by myself, as chief executive officer.
As we approach the end of the current strategic plan 2019-2023, the directors and management of the IHRB are currently engaged in extensive internal and external consultations with stakeholders across and outside the industry as part of the development of a renewed strategy for the coming years. Within the past 48 hours, in the course of preparing for this meeting, I became aware of a hitherto unknown issue that occurred in early 2022, which caused grave concern. I immediately brought it to the attention of the chair of the audit and risk committee and the board of the IHRB. The board has commissioned a full review of the matter to be conducted by an independent firm. Additionally, the preliminary facts as they are known have been disclosed to relevant bodies, including the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, Horse Racing Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The committee will appreciate that I am not in a position to give any further details on the matter at this time, pending the outcome of the independent review.
The IHRB is responsible for regulating Irish horse racing, including equine anti-doping control. Our key functions include: making and enforcing the rules of racing; providing integrity services for horse racing; ensuring the provision of on-course integrity services by employing, monitoring and controlling the activities of horse-racing officials; licensing all participants in horse racing in Ireland; making all decisions relating to doping control, forensic testing and handicapping; being responsible for the representation of Irish horse racing internationally in respect of our functions; and providing governance for point-to-point steeplechase and enforcing the Irish national hunt steeplechase regulations.
As a 32-county, all-Ireland body, the IHRB carries out its functions through a team of 25 experienced administrative staff working from our offices in the Curragh and more than 100 highly trained, professional racing officials at race meetings across the island, who ensure that the rules are properly observed and that the integrity of the sport is maintained. The IHRB also relies on a network of over 140 volunteer race day stewards and committee members, who lend their professional expertise to ensure Irish horse racing adheres to the rules and is properly governed at all levels.
In 2021, the IHRB presided over 395 race meetings and 54 point-to-point events, up from 332 race meetings and 68 point-to-points in 2020. We held 949 stewards inquiries and 93 regulatory hearings, consisting of 56 referrals and 37 appeals. In 2021, the IHRB issued licences to 654 riders, 366 trainers and 217 restricted trainers, which was an increase on the previous year, when the equivalent licence numbers were 557 riders, 348 trainers and 192 restricted trainers. However, point-to-point handler permits declined to 566 from 574 in 2020. We also registered 3,614 stable staff in 2021, of whom 1,726 were full time and 1,888 were part time, an increase on the 3,444 registered in 2020. Licence fees paid by racing participants amounted to €1.032 million in 2021, representing 9% of IHRB revenue. Fees charged by the IHRB are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure they reflect the value of the licence without posing an unreasonable barrier to participation in the sport.
Equine anti-doping is a top priority for the organisation, as it is for the sport, and the IHRB has no tolerance for any rule breaches in this regard. The IHRB’s equine anti-doping strategy has evolved in recent years to operate on a sophisticated risk and intelligence basis, backed by rigorous processes of investigation and follow-through in the event of an adverse analytical finding. As important as it is to take enough samples, it is also crucial to take the right sample from the right horse at the right time to maximise the likelihood of detecting prohibited substances, if they are there, to deter those who might be tempted to cheat through doping and to disrupt inappropriate activities.
Our systems for tackling doping concerns continue to be strengthened, and the appointment by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of 12 authorised officers was another welcome development. This allows IHRB veterinary officials to gain access to any thoroughbred in any location in the State at any time.
