Failure of Limerick to provide hot food for stable staff referred on to IHRB Prior to the running of the first race at Limerick today the Stewards received a request from the Irish Stable Staff Association to convene a hearing to discuss the failure of the racecourse to provide any hot food for stable staff. Bernard Caldwell CEO Irish Stable Staff Association stated that it was disappointing that there was no hot food to be purchased at the racecourse today and requested that in the future that Limerick Racecourse provide proper reasonably priced hot meals for stable staff in view of the long hours worked and the distances travelled to bring horses to this venue. He stated that the HRI had written to all racecourses in relation to hot food being available on raceday for all stable staff. A nominated member of stable staff also attended this meeting and confirmed the comments of Bernard Caldwell while advising that almost all racecourses had complied with the staffs basic requests in relation to hot food being made available. Patrick O'Callaghan, Limerick Racecourse Manager was also present at this meeting. In response he accepted most of the points raised by the ISSA but emphasised that reduction of funding to racecourses and the extra cost of supplying a catering facility to comply with the stable staff recommendations rendered it impractical to supply any hot food facility. Having considered the positions of all parties, the Stewards stated that they were not in a position to make any recommendations on the matters raised and therefore referred the entire matter to the IHRB for that body to liaise with the IHRB Licensing Committee and the HRI to reach a solution acceptable to the ISSA.
