THE Public Accounts Committee [PAC] will ask Horse Racing Ireland [HRI] if it is favouring its own tracks when it comes to deciding on capital grant funding, and also consider appointing an independent arbitrator to resolve the dispute over media rights payments.

Five regional racecourses, acting under the banner of United Irish Racecourses [UIR], claim HRI is taking too big a share of the media rights revenue for itself. UIR also accuses HRI of adding insult to injury by favouring bigger tracks – including ones HRI owns or part-owns – with capital development grants.

The matter was discussed by the PAC on Thursday following correspondence received on behalf of UIR.

PAC chairman Brian Stanley said: “The five racecourses have set out very clearly that regional tracks are being left behind.” He quoted figures supplied to him that showed the Curragh received €12 million in grants from HRI while Leopardstown received €7 million. This was compared to just €28,000 for Kilbeggan and €8,000 for Thurles.

“I think it’s important that these racecourses, that are on the back foot, get a fair dividend,” said Stanley, a Sinn Fein TD for Laois-Offaly. “Some are in need of capital funding and I think that’s an issue we need to address.”

On the subject of media rights, Stanley quoted the UIR correspondence which claimed HRI used to receive a fixed fee for ‘data rights’ but that this changed to 7% of total revenue in the latest media rights deal, which equated to €14 million between 2015 and 2020.

“In 2016 HRI agreed to facilitate an independent review of media rights money. I am open to correction on this, but the review hasn’t happened,” Stanley said. “HRI negotiates the media rights deals on behalf of the racecourses and my information is that, despite being asked to do so, HRI has not entered into a service level agreement with the racecourses for that bidding process.”

Stanley also said that, according to UIR, HRI was refusing to appoint an independent arbitrator to resolve the matter. The five UIR tracks – Limerick, Kilbeggan, Roscommon, Sligo and Thurles – recently opted out of the new media rights deal recommended by HRI and the Association of Irish Racecourses.

“So, I would suggest, if it’s agreeable to the Committee, that we write to HRI and ask them to consider appointing an independent arbitrator to help resolve it,” Stanley said. “That there would be a service level agreement with the racecourses for the bidding process, and that the review of the media rights deal which was agreed to in 2016 could now happen.”

The PAC is due to hear from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board on June 29th and it is possible HRI officials will also be in attendance at that session.

On Wednesday this week officials from HRI and UIR appeared before the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee to discuss media rights issues. On foot of a request from HRI, the discussion was held in private.