PAC criticises delay in installation of CCTV at Irish racecourses

Just one course in Ireland, Leopardstown, has had a CCTV system installed to date. File picture

The chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has criticised the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) for being unable to provide a timeline for the installation of CCTV at Irish racecourses.

Brian Stanley, a Sinn Féin TD and chair of the PAC, disparaged recent correspondence received by the PAC from IHRB chief executive Denis Egan, which said adhering to the board’s deadline of August 2021 – for awarding a contract for the installation of security systems at the country’s 25 racecourses – may be impacted by “the complexities” of the tenders received.

“There are companies out there that specialise in such security installations,” Mr Stanley said. 

"We’re not talking about sending people to the moon here. This thing has been kicked to touch for the best part of three years.

This is hugely important in terms of jobs in this country, it’s essential that we uphold the integrity of this industry. Its reputation is at stake."

The IHRB placed a €500,000 public tender last month for the installation of CCTV security systems in stable yards at each racecourse.

Security at racetracks and CCTV, in particular, has been a thorn in the side of the sport’s governing body Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) for a number of years, particularly after the horse Viking Hoard was injected with a sedative at 100 times the legal amount during a race meeting at Tramore in 2018.

Just one course in Ireland, Leopardstown, has had such a system installed to date.

Money never used

Some €60,000 was allocated by HRI for the provision of CCTV at racecourses in 2018 but the money was never used, and was instead reallocated by the IHRB for other purposes.

In April of this year, internal emails from within HRI emerged which showed the organisation does not consider CCTV as being a “silver bullet” in terms of removing the possibility of race-tampering.

In his letter Mr Egan denied that the “process has gone on for three years”.

“What is correct is that the initial proposal to install CCTV systems was included in the budget three years ago,” he said.