Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy probably knows, the term of the current chair, Professor Pat Wall, ends on 17 February. I was anxious that there should be an open process about this and I wanted to get it past the Public Appointments Service. The Public Appointments Service said that it was outside its remit to do this because Horse Sport Ireland does not come within it. There was a further proposal that a Mr. Jim Beecher, who was proposed by Sport Ireland as the interim chairman, should be accepted. He was approached and agreed to do that. I had to get the permission of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to do that. The Public Appointments Service has now advised that although it will not do it, it will assist the Department in appointing a new chair. Work has commenced in the division of the development of an advertisement in line with my instruction.