Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Oct 1994

Vol. 445 No. 9

Written Answers. - Foal Registration System.

Avril Doyle

Ceist:

211 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason for the delay in the foal registration system this year, when fees are being charged; if he agrees with the importance of encouraging breeders to comply fully with registration requirements rather than hindering and frustrating their efforts to register foals; the reason the Irish Horse Register section does not answer the phone to the public after 11 a.m. each day; if he agrees that the apparent chaos in the system is giving a very bad impression of the new Horse Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1616/94]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

I believe it is important to encourage breeders of sports horses to register their foals. With a view to providing a more expeditious and efficient registration services, new computer facilities have been installed in the Irish Horse Register. Some temporary difficulties arose with the installation of the new facilities and this has resulted in some delays in the foal registrations. These problems have been resolved and it is expected that the backlog of applications will be cleared within the next two to three weeks. New staff have been seconded permanently to the Horse Board and they are being temporarily augmented in order to expedite the clearance of the arrears. To help further in this regard it has been decided to limit for a short period of times during which staff would be available to deal with enquiries from the public to the hours of 9.30 a.m. 11.30 a.m.