John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The reason I ask, and I will not go into detail, is that I have e-mails regarding a promoter of international horse events of one kind and another and I am not impressed by the length of time it took for somebody in Horse Sport Ireland, which is in receipt of a €5 million turnover, to reply.

That Horse Sport Ireland, HSI, which is in receipt of funding of €5 million per annum, will not engage with a company engaged in the promotion of the industry and associated events in this country is unacceptable. We are speaking in this regard about a company that is promoting Ireland and Irish showjumping and associated events which attract international visitors and competitors. It appears to me from the correspondence I have been given that it receives little support or acknowledgement from Horse Sport Ireland. That it takes three weeks or longer to get a response from that organisation to basic questions is unacceptable. Some of the questions relate to decisions taken around funding. Is it the policy of Horse Sport Ireland to set out in a transparent manner how its decisions relevant to funding are reached?