The dispute between the Turf Club and the rest of racing came to a head today when 2,500 people involved in the racing industry marched on the Turf Club headquarters this morning.
A group consisting of trainers, jockeys, owners, breeders, stable staff and representatives of the greyhound industry arrived at the Curragh at 10.30 a.m. to hand a letter of protest to Senior Steward Mr Gerry Scanlon asking the Turf Club to rethink its stance and merge with the rest of the industry as requested by the Government.
The letter expressed 'grave concern that our futures are being seriously threatened by the unwillingness of the Turf Club to join with us in creating a secure and vibrant structure.'
It also requested the members 'to immediately withdraw the clear inference that integrity can only exist in the Turf Club and that we, the main interest groups acting democratically, cannot be trusted to regulate our business to the same standards pertaining currently.'
Turf Club chief executive Mr Brian Kavanagh accepted the letter on behalf of Mr Scanlon. He was booed.
The protesters, who catered for 10 per cent of racing industry, represented a broad cross-section in the sport.
The Turf Club is being asked by the Government to merge into one ruling body in return for legislation guaranteeing permanent funding for the sport. But it is determined to hold its ground.
The Government stance is that the increase in the State financial injection means there is a greater premium on public accountability and therefore reinforces the need for racing to have just one ruling body.
Speaking at a press conference, the chairman of the trainers` association, Mr Willie Mullins, said: 'Should the Turf Club fail to respond positively, the representative organisation will request the government to introduce legislation to establish a new regulatory entity.'
Responding to this movement, the Turf Club stewards proposed to the Minister for Agriculture that an independent arbitrator be appointed to determine the nature and extent of the regulatory functions in Irish racing.
The statement read: 'The issue of integrity, or the regulation, of Irish racing remains as the principal obstacle to the formation of Horseracing Ireland, a joint-industry body to promote and develop all aspects of the horse racing business.
'While all parties to the debate have accepted that the regulatory body - the Turf Club - must remain separate from and independent of the development body, differences have emerged as to which aspects of the Turf Club`s work are regulatory and which are purely administrative.
'In a letter to the Turf Club dated October 16th the Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh has now conceded that the forensic division (drug testing and veterinary matters) should remain with the Turf Club along with stewarding at race meetings.
'The stewards maintain that other Registry Office functions such as licensing, naming, passports and horse identification, the taking of entries and declarations and handicapping fall within their function of making and enforcing the rules and promoting integrity and fair play in racing.
'However, in the new circumstances which the Minister`s decision on forensics has brought about, it is proposed that an independent arbitrator`s help should be sought to agree the final division of functions between regulation and administration.
'To this end the stewards of the governing bodies wrote yesterday to the Minister outlining their proposal and seeking an early meeting to make progress as soon as possible, and the members at today`s general meeting endorsed this course of action.'
The Turf Club`s chief executive Brian Kavanagh told the waiting Press that the Minister had contacted him this morning expressing approval with their suggestion of an independent arbitrator and seeking to arrange a meeting with the Turf Club`s senior steward Gerry Scanlan.
'This will be the first meeting between Minister Walsh and Mr Scanlan, and we hope it will take place this week if possible,' Mr Kavanagh added.
