Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 4

Written Answers. - Ministerial Appointments.

Alan M. Dukes

Question:

54 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the recent re-appointment of a person (details supplied) as a member of the Irish Horseracing Authority was properly done in accordance with the provisions of the schedule to the Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23192/97]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The appointment referred to was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Irish Horseracing Industry Act, 1994. The relevant provision of the schedule to the Act under which the person named was appointed a member of the authority is section 7 (1) (i) of the schedule which states:

Of the members of the Authority—

one shall be representative of racegoers nominated for appointment thereto by such persons as the Minister considers to be representative of racegoers.

Section 7 (3) (a) prescribes that the person appointed by the Minister under the above section "shall be chosen by the Minister from a panel of at least three persons, containing (as far as practicable) at least one male and one female nomination, submitted to the Minister by the representative interests concerned".

In considering who should be appointed to the authority to represent racegoers to fill a vacancy which arose on 1 December 1997 I accepted three nominations from each of two organisations which I considered to be representative of racegoers — namely the Racing Club of Ireland and the Irish Racegoers Social Club. The person named in the question was among the nominations so received.