Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I just had a chat with the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, because the issue that I am raising as regards horses relates to hippotherapy and the benefits of horses for children, in particular mentally handicapped children and juvenile delinquents. Occupational therapists, physical therapists and every other type of therapist is using hippotherapy. It is new in Ireland, with only one centre located in Cork providing it. As the Minister of State knows, people who work in this field have seen the benefit for children. The horses are not trained, but the children are taking riding lessons or being around them while they are working. We all know of "The Horse Whisperer".

I know someone in Mayo who homes horses and, getting no help from the State to do so, is crying out for assistance.For the past ten or 15 years, he has used almost all of his wages - he obviously has to live on something - on housing about 20 stray horses that were picked up.

I have a number of questions I want the Minister of State to answer regarding the welfare of those horses, taking into consideration how we treat our prize horses and how we treat less able horses. There is a great horse project in Tallaght, the Fettercairn horse project, but nothing down the country. I do not want to mention this person's name, as we are not allowed to mention names, but he has highlighted some issues to me regarding his work. He picks up wandering horses and he has told me that such horses are put down even when they are in foal. I understand there are situations where a wandering horse regrettably has to be put down for its own benefit, but I cannot see why we could not treat a horse in foal differently. He has brought that to my attention and I believe strongly that a country that prizes its horses should prize the horse in foal and not put it down. There should be a different rule there. If somebody is willing to care for that horse, as this man is, they should get help to do so.

I am aware that sanctuaries pick up unchipped horses weekly. We have a regulation on chipping horses, but obviously it is not being enforced. He has many horses that were found without chips. Why is the regulation not being enforced? What can the Minister of State do? First, he can clarify whose job it is to go out and find the unchipped horses. The regulation is not being enforced. It is there and it should be enforced. I would appreciate him strengthening that provision and outlining the position to me.

There is also an issue with the sale of horses to under age people. It is almost like getting a dog now - people get a horse for Christmas sometimes and when they find out the horse is too expensive or they cannot keep it, it is let loose. I know horse licences are granted only to those over the age of 16, but I have been informed by this man in Mayo that this is not being enforced. The chipping and the sale of horses to under age people are two issues I want to bring to the Minister of State's attention.

The Irish horse industry contributes over €708 million per annum to the economy and 270,000 people come to see those horses in national country shows. When we look at the people who are working with what one could call underprivileged horses, and helping handicapped children and juvenile delinquents as well, the effect it has in bringing them back to normality is fantastic. There is a stark contrast between the horse racing industry and the help we give people trying to do educational work with horses. It is non-existent, other than South Dublin County Council's Fettercairn horse project, which is worth a visit from any Minister. It is also important to mention the health and physical benefits. As far as I know, there is only one trained hippotherapist, in Ballincollig - Strides Occupational Therapy - but this person in Mayo is also doing fantastic work and I would like even a pilot project to be set up with this individual to try to support this form of therapy. He has to feed, home, house and build shelters for them, and all from his own pocket. He is doing it for about 20 horses annually and then passing them on to people who want horses or to mind them. It is like an orphanage for horses.