No summer holiday for Irish racing's leaders as they face up to a critical period

Ireland's racing authorities need to make good use of the breathing space afforded by the parliamentary recess that began last week.

The politicians have taken their break after a dramatic spell during which key players in governance and financial scandals at RTE, Ireland's national public broadcasting company, have been intensively grilled at a series of parliamentary committee appearances that have monopolised the Irish news cycle for weeks.

Dail Eireann does not resume until September 20, allowing the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board time to get its house in some sort of order after a couple of embarrassingly brief appearances at parliamentary committee sessions in recent weeks.