Horse-racing facilities to be probed for exploitation

Unannounced inspections are to be carried out on horse-racing facilities to investigate claims of exploitation, including the treatment of foreign nationals and children.

Horse Racing Ireland has been told inspectors will probe whether wages are being unfairly deducted, stable hands are working excessive hours, and insufficient records are being kept.

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) will begin announced as well as unannounced inspections from this month, after Independent4Change TD Clare Daly claimed recently that exploitation and tax avoidance was “rife” in the industry.