Labour leadership candidate against current continuation of racing Dublin Bay North Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin was sharply critical of the decision to continue with racing when interviewed on yesterday’s RTÉ Drivetime radio programme. Ó Ríordáin is a candidate to replace Brendan Howlin as Labour leader. He is priced at 5/1 with Paddy Power, with his County Tipperary colleague Alan Kelly the red-hot 1/10 favourite to assume command of Ireland’s oldest political party. “The decision by Horse Racing Ireland not to completely suspend race meetings is extremely regrettable,” said Ó Ríordáin. “It’s not in my view been taken with public safety in mind. “In the aftermath of the Cheltenham controversy I would have thought that the magnitude of the emergency facing us would be obvious to everyone in the horse racing industry but clearly that is not the case. “The horse and greyhound fund received 80 million Euro of public money in the most recent budget, 67 million of that went to horse racing. “Horse Racing Ireland should realise the duty they have to the public when they are in receipt of such vast sums of public money. “There is no excuse, the message is clear, row in behind the national effort and call off your race meetings.”
