Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1068. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to concerns being raised that there has been a rush in recent weeks to put the Greenogue plan for Horse Sport Ireland in front of the 24 affiliates without prior consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9904/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised that the Horse Sport Ireland Executive met with Affiliate bodies in the past number of weeks to provide a detailed presentation on the Centre of Excellence project, now that the proposal has taken shape.

HSI informed me that these meetings provided a platform for a detailed discussion on the project and served as a meaningful engagement on the specific needs of affiliates. Layout plans, site proposals and visual graphics were available at the meetings. Given that this extensive detail regarding the site was not available previously, the meetings were timely and appropriate as the project moves into the next phase.

Furthermore, the Board of Horse Sport Ireland, which was rationalised following the implementation of the Indecon Report, includes industry representatives, in the form of the Chairpersons of the Advisory Councils, who provided a link with the affiliate bodies.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1069. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the procurement process carried out by Horse Sport Ireland for the Greenogue site meet the requirements of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for State agencies (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9905/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The location of the headquarters of the Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) and its Centre of Excellence is a matter for its Board. The HSI has examined a number of sites, as part of a selection process carried out by a sub-committee of the Board.

HSI advises that the work of the sub-committee has been ongoing for two years and has involved the consideration of many different locations. It engaged with a range of potential sites and hired a property valuer and adviser to review property and land offerings as well as availability of property to purchase, rent or develop. The sub-committee examined options not involving additional state funding.

I am advised that the Procurement Directive and the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016, do not apply to public service contracts for the acquisition or rental, by whatever financial means, of land, existing buildings or other immovable property or any interest in or right over any such land, existing buildings or immovable property. My Department has sought additional information in relation to this matter and is examining it at present.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1070. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of oversight his Department had on the process of the development of a centre of excellence by Horse Sport Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9906/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is a company limited by guarantee. It is not a State Body established by legislation and it is operationally independent of my Department.

I am advised that a selection process to decide on a site and location for its new Headquarters and Centre of Excellence was carried out by a sub-committee of the Board.

HSI advises that the work of the sub-committee has been ongoing for two years and has involved the consideration of many different locations. It engaged with a range of potential sites and hired a property valuer and adviser to review property and land offerings as well as availability of property to purchase, rent or develop.

HSI appointed an independent consultant to carry out a detailed feasibility study in this regard, following a competitive request for tender. The final decision on a site and venue however is a matter for the Board of HSI.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1071. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the oversight role that the audit by Horse Sport Ireland and the oversight committee played in the process of the development of a centre of excellence; the number of times they have met to consider the project since its inception and prior to signing the heads of terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9907/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) has informed me that, in July 2019, its Board set up a specific sub-committee of the Board, namely the HSI Centre of Excellence Development Committee. The purpose of this Committee includes but is not limited to the following:

Site identification and suitability, the infrastructure requirements for the Centre of Excellence and necessary permissions required;

- to analyse the appropriate funding models for Centre of Excellence and the related return on investment, value for money and sustainability issues.

- to determine a funding model which enables the Centre of Excellence to maximise the potential of activities that it will manage.

- Publish a Request for Tender for a suitable external consultant to prepare a comprehensive feasibility study.

- To determine the central characteristics for the Centre of Excellence, such as training, knowledge transfer, equines services, events, equine multidisciplinary approaches,collaboration with other entities.

- Assess the best governance system for the Centre of Excellence to ensure optimum management and continued engagement of the key stakeholders.

- Review the training and researcher mobility to and from the Centre of Excellence which include industry-based experts.

HSI advised that from 2019 to date, the sub-committee met regularly to consider the development of the project and the different site engagements as they arose.It met to discuss and consider the Heads of Terms in advance of Board of Horse Sport Ireland signing.

HSI has also informed me that its Audit and Risk Committee, which is a sub-committee comprising of independent members, met later in 2020 in advance of the Heads of Terms being signed, and the matter of the Centre of Excellence was discussed and considered.

Finally, I have been advised by HSI that the proposal has been considered by the Board of Horse Sport Ireland, on a number of occasions, and the Board has unanimously agreed support for the development at Greenogue.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1072. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the range of figures from €5.5 to €12 million which have been issued on various occasions by Horse Sport Ireland regarding the cost of providing the necessary facilities outside Greenogue, County Dublin or for the build and lease back model (details supplied); if he sought an analysis of the alternative figures given that such figures have been put forward by Horse Sport Ireland as justification for the Greenogue site option; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9908/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is considering re-locating to a new site as part of the establishment of a new headquarters and a national centre of excellence.

HSI is a company limited by guarantee. It is not a State Body established by legislation and it is operationally independent of my Department. The location of a site for its headquarters is a matter for its Board. It would be inappropriate for me to express a view on the merits of any specific location in a way that might prejudice its deliberations.

HSI did make a budget submission to my Department last year for capital funding but the figure concerned was indicative and was not specific to any particular site or venue and involved the development of a green field site.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1073. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the Horse Sport Ireland claim that the Greenogue, County Dublin centre will facilitate both sport and breeding requirements and that stakeholders and the acting CEO have confirmed that the Greenogue site offers nothing to the breeding sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9909/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I have been advised by Horse Sport Ireland that the proposed new Headquarters and Centre of Excellence will provide a world class environment for the production of horses, provision of equine services, industry training and promotion. HSI has had the objective of having a defined headquarters, and a national training and breeding centre since its inception.

I have also been informed by Horse Sport Ireland that the proposed centre at Greenogue will offer significant benefits to the breeding sector. There is clearly a lack of top-level performance bloodlines available in Ireland at the moment. Such bloodlines are required to make genetic gain in the show jumping discipline. The active Irish Sport Horse brood mare population is 11,900, of which less than 0.06% have competed at the highest International level show jumping. It advises that to create significant genetic improvement in a short period of time, certain measures are required.

In this regard investment in advanced reproduction techniques is required. By establishing a suitable laboratory, with skilled experienced staff, HSI advises that it can support the existing veterinary expertise in this area and make assisted reproductive services more readily available to breeders. The plans for the National Centre include such an advanced Equine Reproduction facility. This innovative facility will utilise 12 acres of the Greenogue site and will have a laboratory building, horse stabling, handling and exercise facilities.

Alongside these reproductive services the centre will also facilitate the running of breeding courses, such as Artificial Insemination technician courses. The National Centre will also be in a position to host regional breeding events, such as mare inspections and, as the facilities develop, other knowledge transfer breeding events by combining its educational, administration and reproduction facilities for breeders and interested parties alike.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1074. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the development of a centre of excellence by Horse Sport Ireland on the 30-acre Greenogue, County Dublin site has been frozen to facilitate a proposed orbital route; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that this will impact on the proposed additional facilities identified by the organisation given that current planning permission expressly addresses concerns regarding traffic volumes in view of the fact that this is primarily a residential area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9910/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, planning permission is not a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It is within the remit of the local planning authority in the first instance.