Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. I am taking the debate on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, who is on official business as part of an agriculture trade mission to the US. He sends his apologies. The Deputies have brought great passion to the points they raised. I am not familiar with Clondalkin Equine Club but they have made clear how important it is to their community.

The Minister is fully committed to supporting sustainable One Health, One Welfare initiatives in line with the programme for Government and Working Together for Animal Welfare - Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-25. His Department continues to support a number of urban horse projects nationwide. In line with the strategy, the Department's focus is on supporting start-up infrastructure costs as well as initiatives that bring education on all issues relating to equine welfare to areas dealing with urban horse challenges.

The Department is committed to working with local authorities, charities and community stakeholders in supporting urban horse welfare programmes, in particular in the context of facilities and education programmes.

The Clondalkin Equine Club is an important example of this activity. The Department has shown considerable commitment through the provision of the largest capital outlay in support of an urban horse programme in support of the Clondalkin Equine Club. A sum of €503,000 was provided to South Dublin County Council in 2016 for the development of the club's infrastructure. This funding was committed on the understanding that the club, when up and running, would be self-sustaining. It was made clear to both the council and the club that, following the investment in infrastructure, funding would not be available for the day-to-day running of the club. Funding under the terms of the urban horse projects is limited to the provision of education courses and infrastructure. However, to assist with the initial sustainability of the project, the Department worked with the club and the local authority towards the hiring of a development manager, responsible for the further development of the club. This agreement was subject to the club agreeing further efforts to secure alternative funding.

Last year, following further representations from the club board and meetings with the board and management, the Department agreed to provide a final tranche of short-term funding to the project through the council. This agreement was in the context of limitations imposed by Covid-19, the club agreeing further efforts to secure alternative funding, and the proposed formulation of a strategy and robust governance for the organisation going forward.

To date, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has committed over €580,000 to the project. In addition, officials from the Department have worked with the club, South Dublin County Council and Government agencies in attempting to source funding for the club. From these interactions it has become clear that, under the existing model, the club has not met the commitments undertaken in order to qualify for long-term public funding.

I am pleased that discussions between the club board and the council are continuing and I understand that the club has agreed to work with the council to review its business model and governance structure.

See this speech in context