There can be no misunderstanding on the issue of illegal or banned drug use. They have to be taken out of the system and people found guilty of their use and misuse dealt with firmly, appropriately and by the law. Any other position is clearly untenable and whatever measures are needed to ensure that these reprehensible practices are stopped must be enforced and financed.

I have not seen or heard any arguments to allow their use being promoted in discussions or print, either privately or publically. This scourge is not simply an Irish problem either – this issue is global and authorities around the world are trying to wrestle with the problem.

Some appear to do so with more zeal than others, but at the recent International Federation of Horseracing Authorities meeting in Paris there was wholesale agreement about the need to rid the sport of the scourge.

There is no one condoning the use of these banned or illegal substances outside racing either and the news that an industry taskforce comprising authorities, owners, breeders, trainers and sales companies will immediately be formed to ensure the highest international standards of best practice are met is to be welcomed and supported. It must have teeth, it must be ruthless in terms of ridding the system of offenders and we must be able to show that all efforts possible are being made to do so.

You can never say that we will have complete adherence to the rules by all participants. Rogues exist in every walk of life. What we can ensure is that when found out they are removed from the system. What is worrying at present is that certain commentators are inferring that because we have had two high-profile cases in Ireland that the sport is inherently drug ridden and Irish racing has a serious drug problem.

Turning a blind eye is unacceptable and will ultimately damage the sport and business we all earn our living from. Branding any racing jurisdiction or breeding industry as the only clean examples is simply ludicrous. No one is being holier than thou in this case.

We have a reputation to maintain and it beholds us all, individually and collectively, to work to keep that excellent reputation. If not we will have no industry, no sport and nothing to write about into the future.