Mr. Denis Duggan:

Yes, momentum only carries you so far. Things need to be paid for, team managers need to be paid, vet fees, entry fees and so on need to be paid. The State investment through Sport Ireland is incredibly important at the moment because the absence of confirmed funding from any one of the affiliates challenges the programme. We are constantly engaging with the affiliates to try to receive the confirmations and in fairness, it is not a ubiquitous problem across all of the affiliates. Eventing Ireland has indicated what its contribution towards the Olympics programme next year will be. We are in discussions with it about a four-year agreement thereafter from Paris to Los Angeles in order that everybody, both Horse Sport Ireland, HSI, in terms of programme planning and programme design and equally the affiliate in terms of its own financial planning, know that in any given year between Paris and Los Angeles what contribution is expected from the body to fund the programme. That, to be honest, is the ideal scenario for both parties and we are engaged with Eventing Ireland in putting that framework in place. We have had discussions and have referenced doing it with the other organisations but have not reached the same understanding with them.