Horse Sport Ireland operates the following studbooks under contract to my Department:
- the Irish Sport Horse,
- the Irish Sport Pony, -
- the Irish Draught,
- the Irish Cob, and
- the Irish Part-bred Cob.
My Department is in regular contact with Horse Sport Ireland with regard to the contract, including the issuance of passports. I am advised that the current situation with regard to 2023 applications for passports is as follows:
- 6,097 foal applications received across the five administered studbooks, 4,841 (79%) of these have been issued to breeders with 1,256 (21%) remaining.
- Of the remaining passports:
• 409 (7% of the total) have full DNA results received from the laboratory and are being actively worked on.
• 847 (14% of the total) remain outstanding due to additional DNA or documentation required from breeders.
|
Total
|
6097
|
|
|
Passports Posted
|
4841
|
79%
|
|
Passports Remaining
|
1256
|
21%
|
Of the passports remaining
|
DNA Received
|
409
|
32%
|
|
No Cover Certificate
|
68
|
5%
|
|
Full DNA not received
|
779
|
62%
|
My officials do not have the current breakdown by breed. I have asked that HSI provide the to officials in my Department for onwards transmission to the Deputy.
The decision of my Department to only fund Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genomic testing, under the National Breeding Services and the Equine Technical Support (ETS) Scheme, will facilitate advances in breeding programmes to the betterment of the industry as well as providing parentage verification. While I am aware that delays were experienced in issuance of passports in recent months, I understand that HSI have taken a number of steps to address these issues and will continue to work with breeders to issue all outstanding passports as soon as possible.
