Industry's issues too serious to be sidelined by controversy

Irish racing has far too many issues pending for its stakeholders to tolerate any further distraction. But until the board of Horse Racing Ireland can restore trust in its ability to deal with its own housekeeping arrangements, it is hard to have confidence in plans to tackle the problems that really matter to people on the ground, whether as participants in the industry, as punters, or indeed as taxpayers.

A long-term funding solution for the industry, a fully functioning drug-testing regime, other measures to support the effectiveness of the Turf Club's regulatory function, the conditions and pay of stable staff, the viability of capital development projects, the plight of rank-and-file trainers: these are all substantial issues. Yet for now we still have to focus on the minutiae of internal HRI business, because so many questions remain unsatisfactorily answered.

Last week, after an emergency session to discuss the fallout from Brian Kavanagh's reappointment as chief executive of the organisation, the HRI board issued a statement in which it "expressed regret this matter has become the matter of public concern".