Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 2 October 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Challenges Facing the Horse Sport Industry: Discussion (Resumed)
5:30 pm
Mr. Flor Madden:
There was an expert panel formed to interview and hold that interview process. I can provide the names following this session but there was a panel.
There is one further concern. It is now possible that all nine positions can be filled without having any affiliate representative. I am not saying it will happen but it is possible. If any director during their term has to resign, for whatever reason or if they are deceased, their replacement will be appointed by the Minister. So it is possible on two fronts, from an affiliate point of view, that the affiliates will have no voice on the board. It is a bit like, for example, a Deputy going for an election in a couple of weeks or months and the top two people who are elected are suddenly called in for an interview and an external person will deem whether they are suitable or not to take up a seat. That is the concern of affiliates - that the voice may not be heard.