Ms Martina Kenny:

On equine initiatives, we are working on different horse associations around the country. The Clondalkin Equine Club cost more than €500,000 and there is no need for anything like that. First, we do not believe in a horse organisation in an urban area having a load of stables because there is no need for them and things can be done much cheaper. What a horse needs is a bit of land, grass, to be cared for and to have shelter. We have come across an awful lot of associations that say they will need 30 stables but there is no need for them. The problem now is that the Clondalkin Equine Club is trying to maintain such an expensive building, which is sad, and it only has room for 20 horses. Members of my organisation are in Clondalkin quite a lot so we know that there are dying horses in fields and some of their owners are children. Another problem is that there is no traceability in respect of children because they get horses for free. It is now almost summer and many foals have been born and many kids will get them for free, which is something that happens all over Ireland.