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Horse Racing Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 January 2022

Tuesday, 25 January 2022

Questions (252, 255, 256, 257)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

252. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he and or his officials made amendments and or suggested amendments to the business case presented by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding the salary and remuneration package of the new Horse Racing Ireland Chief Executive Officer; if he will publish the business case in full; and if he will also provide details of the full pension package and severance and or lump sum associated with the role in the context of the increased salary. [3059/22]

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Matt Carthy

Question:

255. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the basis on which he determined that a new Chief Executive Officer of Horse Racing Ireland should be appointed at a salary of €137,356; the reason that the salary for the new Chief Executive Officer of Horse Racing Ireland was set at a higher rate than that previously stipulated; if views were sought from NewERA of the National Treasury Management Agency on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3231/22]

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Matt Carthy

Question:

256. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the salary against which the salary of the new Chief Executive Officer of Horse Racing Ireland was benchmarked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3232/22]

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Matt Carthy

Question:

257. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a condition or mechanism exists within the contract of the new Chief Executive Officer of Horse Racing Ireland which would see proposed salary increases in years two and three of the contract not implemented; if such a condition or mechanism exists which would see the salary reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3233/22]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 252, 255, 256 and 257 together.

Section 21 of the Irish Horse Racing Industry Act 1994 provides that the terms and conditions for the CEO of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) are subject to the approval of the Authority (HRI) with the consent of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies also provides that the CEO of each Commercial State Body shall hold office subject to the terms and conditions as determined by the Board of the State Body with the consent of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

In accordance with the above, following proposals from the Board of HRI, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine sought my consent to the terms for the appointment of a new CEO. To fully appraise the proposal, my Department requested that further information be provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in support of the proposal, including a business case and an independent assessment by NewERA.

Having considered the business case and supporting recommendation from NewERA, I provided my consent to the terms proposed. i.e. a salary of €190,773 and the provision of the standard superannuation terms for CEOs of Commercial State Bodies. The terms do not represent an increase on the terms for the outgoing CEO. There is no scheduled increases to the salary in years two and three of the contract.

I refer the Deputy to the standard superannuation arrangements for CEOs of Commercial State Bodies also published at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/7adff-governance/?referrer=www.govacc.per.gov.ie/governance-of-state-bodies/

The terms for the CEO post are as outlined above. Due to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) around personal data, information in relation to the specific superannuation terms applying to the individual is of a personal nature and is unable to be provided. Furthermore, as a Commercial State Body, documentation relating to Horse Racing Ireland and the assessment by NewERA contain information that may be of a commercially sensitive nature. The documents also contain personal information.

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