Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she is taking to reduce inheritable wind disease in National Hunt stallions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23594/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the provisions of The European Communities (Equine Stud-Book and Competition) Regulations 2004, SI 399 of 2004, I am empowered to grant approval to a person, an international association or organisation for the purposes of maintaining a stud-book subject to compliance with the requirements of the relevant legislation in force. Weatherbys Ireland GSB Limited is the organisation approved to maintain the Thoroughbred studbook in which National Hunt stallions in Ireland are registered.

The legislation provides for keepers of approved stud-books to divide the main section of their stud-book into classes according to the animal's merits. Therefore, approved studbooks can choose to classify animals in their studbook according to their merits' (such as the inheritance of wind disease) in order to discourage the breeding of animals with a genetic defect.

I do not propose to interfere in the day to day business of approved stud book keeping organisations.