Department of Agriculture defends terms of new proposal

Department of Agriculture officials have rejected Turf Club concerns that their independence is potentially threatened by the proposed Horse Racing Ireland Amendment Bill and instead stated the legislation "explicitly protects the independence" of racing's regulatory body.

The Department was heavily criticised by the Turf Club's chief executive Denis Egan last week for a lack of communication with the body which is threatening to legally challenge sections of the legislation if it is passed in its current form.

Racing’s integrity body is gravely concerned about sections in relation to point to points and registration fees which in the new legislation will be paid through Horse Racing Ireland.

Revenue streams

The Turf Club has argued it requires some current revenue streams to remain as they are if its regulatory independence is to be maintained.

However a department of Agriculture spokesperson has said: “The General Scheme of the Bill explicitly protects the independence of Racing Regulatory Body and assigns it sole and exclusive responsibility for integrity in racing. There is no question of the independence of this function being undermined.

“These integrity functions are assigned by statute and funded entirely from public funds or income deriving from the exercise of those public functions. In this regard it is critically important that the legislation provides for a strong accountability framework.

“It is noteworthy that in 2015 the public funds provided to the Racing Regulatory Body have increased by 23 per cent to €7.35m, and this direct subvention from taxpayers is estimated to account for more than 80 per cent of integrity funding.”

The department official stressed the bill is intended to improve accountability and transparency in respect of taxpayers’ money, enhance governance, and encourage the streamlining of the administrative systems underpinning racing.

In relation to point to points, she added that the bill is intended “to improve accountability and encourage the kind of administrative streamlining recommended in successive independent reports. Income deriving from the Turf Club’s functions as a private club is not affected at all.”

The Bill is due to be put before the Dáil in June and is currently being drafted at the Attorney General’s Office.

“In course of its deliberations, the department met with the Turf Club on a number of occasions, and some, but not all of the Turf Club concerns were taken on board as a result of that process,” the department official added.