New positions expected to be filled within next two months

The three positions recently advertised by Horse Racing Ireland to restructure the internal operations of the organisation are expected to be filled within the next couple of months.

The roles are those of commercial and marketing director, director of communications and public affairs, and the chief executive position at HRI's four courses – Leopardstown, Fairyhouse, Navan and Tipperary.

Michael O'Rourke last month announced his intention to leave his position as director of marketing and communications to pursue a career as an independent marketing and communications consultant.

HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: "The decision to streamline the organisation was in the pipeline for some time and was in place before Michael's departure.

"Applications for the three jobs have closed and we hope to get through the process and have a new team in place and bedded down within the next six to eight weeks.

"It is part of a restructuring process to make HRI operate more efficiently and to introduce some new ideas and new blood into our management team."

He added: "We have some new responsibilities under legislation and the restructuring will mean we will be putting our resources where they are most needed.

"Another benefit will be the streamlining of direct reports from our subsidiaries. Instead of coming straight to the CEO, as they have done, some of those reports will be dealt with by those who are appointed to the new positions and this will free up the CEO to concentrate on other aspects of the job.

"We used to have someone with responsibility for our four racecourses but that hasn't been the case for the past few years. I believe there is huge scope for our courses to further increase their profitability, and that will be the responsibility of whoever heads up our racecourse division."