Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

My question also dealt with the issue of breeding. Many of our best blood lines have been exported and bought by other countries with the result that people are buying horses back from other countries. Most of the horses competing for Ireland in the last Olympic Games were bred abroad.

The Department, together with the new Horse Board Ireland, should develop a new breeding policy to encourage breeding of the right type of horse for international competitions. It is obvious that the best type of showjumping horse is the three-quarter blooded animal as most competitions are decided on time, against the clock. The blood horse is a more athletic animal compared to the traditional draught horse. Has the Minister of State any notes on how the breeding problem is to be addressed? Is it proposed to set up a national centre for breeding showjumpers? This is an area in which our breeding has been diluted in the past by failing to concentrate on the right type of animal for competition.

I suggest more dialogue and co-operation between the breeder, the international rider and the equitation school.

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