Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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As much as I enjoy a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, of which we have had many, I am disappointed that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is not present to take this important debate. Clondalkin Equine Club was opened in 2017. I attended the opening alongside Deputy Gino Kenny and it has been a really welcome addition to our community. It was born out of the need to facilitate a community tradition of urban horsemanship in an area of disadvantage. The club is like an oasis in the heart of our community. It was developed as a joint enterprise between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and South Dublin County Council, with the latter providing the land and the former giving the initial funding. There are 20 horses stabled at the facility that might otherwise have been left tethered in a field. The number of horses seized by the council has dropped dramatically over the years since the club opened.

The reality is that if funding is not found, this beautiful space will close. The club is in a really difficult position. While I accept it is not the sole responsibility of the Department, somebody needs to take the reins, if I may be excused that pun. Children using the project have progressed into jobs in the horse industry, including in veterinary practices. The club has enabled children to participate in educational projects. It has created a space where children can be safe and away from the pitfalls of a disadvantaged area. The club has hosted children with disabilities and those from marginalised groups in our community.

Clondalkin Equine Club needs core funding of €60,000 to stay open. Will the Minister of State ask the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, to provide immediate interim funding to give the club some breathing space? I also ask that the Department take the lead by bringing together the other stakeholders. Like mental health provision, this is a cross-departmental matter, encompassing issues relating to education, justice, community development, children, local government and sport. Will the Minister of State ask the Minister to get all those people around the table?

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I have been a board member of Clondalkin Equine Club for the past five years. I was one of the co-founders of the club ten years ago. The concept was somewhat unique in a context where there was an enormous number of problems relating to equine welfare in the Clondalkin area. Horse owners got together more than ten years ago to appeal to the council and the authorities to prevent a type of revolving door system whereby horses were impounded and destroyed, which resulted in animosity. The club has brought all the educational and safety guidelines to bear on the project.

The money we are talking about is a pittance relative to what the State gives to Horse Racing Ireland, which amounts to approximately €70 million a year. Clondalkin Equine Club is asking for a very small amount. Urban horse ownership is a great tradition in working-class areas in Limerick, Cork and Dublin. It stems from the movement of people from inner cities to suburbs and the tradition of horses being used both for work and as a hobby. There are 20 horses stabled at the club and it facilitates 20 children as well as their parents. Speaking as a board member and a representative of the area, the idea that it will close in July is an absolute travesty. For the amount that is needed, it would be an absolute sin to see the closure of a club that gives joy to so many young people. I hope we can find a solution over the next couple of months.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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I mentioned six different Departments. I do not want to oversimplify, but €60,000, €10,000 from each Department, would really work. We need to get these people around the table. At the moment Departments are working in silos. The left hand does not seem to know what the right hand is doing sometimes. I was asking the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to arrange such a meeting to get all the stakeholders around the one table and to see if there is any other funding in other Departments that could really help this club.

For example, and I got a reply to a parliamentary question about this tonight, we have done a fair bit of work on a Bill relating to proceeds of crime and returning the proceeds seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, into disadvantaged communities. In fairness to the Minister, Deputy McEntee, she has moved a fair bit on that. There is a grant open for that. I got news of that only tonight. That, I think, would really benefit this community. It is a community of high disadvantage and one that has been detrimentally impacted by crime over the years. If that money seized by CAB were given over to something like the horse project, it would send out a really clear message to the community that it is being listened to and valued. Something needs to happen.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I speak as a board member of the club. The board and the club have exhausted every single known funding avenue to the point where we are at this juncture. If we do not get this small amount of funding, the club will have no alternative, unfortunately, but to close its doors in July. As I said, that would be an absolute travesty in respect of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I commend the Department. It has been really good in promoting urban horse ownership. Previously, people who owned horses in working-class areas were marginalised and stigmatised and looked upon as scumbags, but that is not the case. The majority of people who keep horses in working-class areas manage and keep their horses very well. A minority could not look after a goldfish, never mind a horse. It is so important this club is kept open.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank both Deputies again. I acknowledge, as Deputy Kenny himself has done, that 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. However, I take on board what the Deputy said as a board member, that the board and the club have exhausted every single avenue. I also take on board what Deputy Ward said about how it is a highly disadvantaged community. That is very important. All I can say to the Deputies is that I will bring their thoughts back to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and give them a commitment that I will also speak to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, about what they have raised tonight. That is all the information I have so I cannot say any more about the matter, but I take on board how genuine both Deputies are about this facility. I thank them for their time.