Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 February 2019
461. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the procurement process applicable to the granting of the sport horse studbook licence; the status of the recommendation of a report to transfer the sport horse studbook licence to a society (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9276/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraEquine studbooks are subject to approval by my Department under European Communities (EQUINE) Regulations, S.I. No. 357 of 2011 and Horse Sport Ireland is currently approved to hold the Irish Sports Horse and Irish Draught Horse Studbooks.
The report by Indecon International Consultants “Review of certain matters relating to Horse Sport Ireland” which was published in 2017 recommended that HSI should retain responsibility for national breeding policy but that the organisation’s board should consider the merits of transferring the Sport Horse and Irish Draught studbooks which it currently administers to the Irish Horse Board. This recommendation falls to the Board of Horse Sport Ireland to consider i.e. whether this is the most effective way to achieve the breeding and production objectives.
The Board of Directors of HSI has recently been restructured and I have appointed a new Chairperson and three board members in consultation with my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. It will be a matter for this Board in the first instance to consider the future of the studbooks currently under the organisation’s control.
