Horse Racing Ireland Act 2016

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Amendment of general functions of HRI

5. (1) The following section is substituted for section 10 of the Act of 1994:

“10. (1) The general functions of HRI are—

(a) to provide for the overall administration, governance, development and promotion of the Irish horseracing industry, other than the functions of the Racing Regulatory Body set out in section 39(1), including promoting and increasing attendance at authorised racecourses;

(b) to provide a single structure for the administration and financial management of Irish horseracing.

(2) The general functions of HRI include:

(a) the processing of—

(i) all charges, including the collection of licence fees for licences to be issued, and financial sanctions imposed, by the Racing Regulatory Body, imposed on participants in the horseracing industry, other than charges in respect of certifying of hunter certificates and the acceptance of horseracing entries and declarations for point-to-point steeplechases (which shall be paid to the organisers of the point-to-point steeplechases), and

(ii) payments to participants in the horseracing industry;

(b) the provision of registry office services including the following activities—

(i) naming of horses, the issuing of horseracing passports and registration of matters relating to racehorses, including the registration of hunter certificates,

(ii) horserace entries and declarations (other than point-to-point steeplechases),

(iii) racing calendar publication,

(iv) stakeholding of race entry funds and prize money for horseraces, and

(v) registration of racehorse owners including racing colours;

(c) the management of the development and promotion of the Irish horseracing industry (including the development of authorised racecourses, the guaranteeing of the costs of integrity services and prize money);

(d) the promotion of the Irish thoroughbred horse;

(e) representing Irish horseracing internationally in respect of its functions;

(f) the provision of financial and other support, at its discretion, to—

(i) maintain and improve the health and welfare status of the thoroughbred horse, and

(ii) assist educational and other institutions and organisations in providing improved training and education facilities and courses for the thoroughbred horse industry to satisfy the training and educational needs of that industry at all levels;

(g) the provision, at its discretion, of financial support for point-to- point steeplechases;

(h) the making, at its discretion, of grants, loans or other disbursements to authorised racecourses;

(i) the allocation of race-fixtures and the setting of race-programmes (other than point-to-point steeplechases);

(j) the negotiation, in consultation with executives of authorised racecourses, of all income from media rights (within the meaning of section 10 (1) of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001 );

(k) the control of the operations of on-course authorised bookmakers;

(l) the provision, maintenance to a specification agreed by HRI with the Racing Regulatory Body, and operation of mobile track equipment, including starting stalls, photo finish and camera patrol equipment and any other such equipment agreed from time to time between HRI and the Racing Regulatory Body and the provision to the Racing Regulatory Body of photographs, films, sound recordings and other connected materials or data generated by such equipment as required by the Racing Regulatory Body for its examination and use in the enforcement of the Rules of Racing;

(m) the operation of racecourses which are owned or leased by HRI;

(n) the management of any subsidiary of HRI;

(o) the performance of any functions of the Racing Regulatory Body which may be transferred to HRI in the future by agreement of both parties and subject to the consent of the Minister.

(3) HRI shall have all such powers as are necessary for or incidental to the performance of its functions under this Part and Part IV, including the power to issue directives setting protocols and procedures to carry out its functions under subsections (1) and (2). Any such directives, protocols or procedures shall be published by HRI.

(4) HRI shall provide such information in relation to the activities mentioned in subsection (2)(a), (b), (c), (i), (k) and (l) to the Racing Regulatory Body as is necessary for the Racing Regulatory Body to fulfil its statutory functions.

(5) HRI shall consult with the Racing Regulatory Body before issuing any directive. HRI may dispense with such consultation where it considers there is an urgency to make the directive and shall inform the Racing Regulatory Body accordingly.”.

(2) The following are repealed:

(a) section 10A of the Act of 1994;

(b) section 2 of the Act of 1999;

(c) section 8 of the Act of 2001.