Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
1121. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding the difference in testing figures published by IHRB and the figures published by the State, if he will explain this contrast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17365/23]
View answerThe Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is the regulatory body for all horse racing in Ireland. The Board 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 horse racing.
The role of the IHRB is provided for under the Irish Horse Racing Act 2016 and subsequent Statutory Instruments.
The IHRB has informed the Department that the figures provided in responses to PQ Dail Reference 749 - 8th March 2022 and PQ Dail Reference 906 - 29th March 2022 included all tests carried out by the IHRB, i.e. equine urine, blood and hair, as well as a small number of environmental and other non-equine samples which were tested in connection with the IHRB’s investigation activity – total 5,987 in 2021.
The figure published by the IHRB in its recent Anti-Doping and Annual Reports relates only to equine samples (5,952 in 2021) but excludes the other non-equine investigative samples (35).
