Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I agree with Mr. Corrigan. The time has come. We have talked enough about it. We know there are problems and they have to be dealt with. The industry is now being affected and that is why it needs to be corrected. It is not about the gold medals and the Olympics. It is about participating and giving an opportunity to the child in a disadvantaged area who might like horse riding, for example, the child who has ambition, like the eight-year-old child I have, who wants to be a showjumper but does not have the resources or the help.

Perhaps somebody could answer this. I do not know the industry. Is there anywhere that somebody in the industry would give an end-of-life pony to a good home rather than what we saw - being savagely murdered in an abattoir? We are still waiting for the report on that. That still has not come before this committee when it should. Is there anywhere a horse like that could be made available to a child like that at a reasonable rate? They want to pay something but they cannot afford the prices. They cannot compete with people who will do it in a professional way.