Minister for Agriculture: Exempt stables from work law

The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, wants the horseracing industry to be exempt from workplace legislation that limits working hours for stable staff. He has made representations to cabinet colleagues.

The Labour Court recently ruled that training yards and stud operations are not classed as agriculture and so do not qualify for a derogation under the Working Time Act following compliance notices issued by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to top training yard Ballydoyle, Co Tipperary.

Ballydoyle is the base of multiple champion trainer and world record-holder Aidan O’Brien.