Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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153. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm the contractors/employees named in the tender submitted by the Irish Horse Board in April 2022 for sport horse marketing services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11070/24]

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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154. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the individual qualifications of the successful team involved from the Irish Horse Board, which was announced in September 2022 as the winning bidder for sport horse marketing services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11071/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together.

A complaint was lodged with the EU Commission in March 2018 in relation to alleged unlawful state aid paid to Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) by my Department. Following communications between my Department and the Commission, it was agreed that a public procurement process would take place in 2022 in respect of certain services namely, studbooks, national breeding and marketing.

Following the tendering process the provision of Marketing Services for the Sport Horse Sector was awarded to the Irish Horse Board.

The tender documentation for the provision of marketing services specified a number of criteria including that the proposed team must include at least one member or contractor with a qualification in Marketing, Business Studies, or Business Management or other relevant disciplines at Diploma/ Certificate/Degree level.

The Irish Horse Board met this criterion.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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155. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has satisfied himself as to the governance structures within the Irish Horse Board, including the organisation’s ability to comply with the governance requirements as a freedom of information prescribed body under his aegis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11072/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Horse Board is a Co-operative Society operating under the aegis of Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS).

Compliance with the Freedom of Information Act is a matter for the Irish Horse Board.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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156. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11073/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Horse Board is a Co-operative Society operating under the aegis of Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS). The Irish Horse Board elections are carried out by the Irish Horse Board and are not a matter for my Department.

The contract referred to was awarded to the Irish Horse Board following a competitive tendering process carried out by my Department in accordance with Public Procurement Guidelines.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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157. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide the names/confirm the officials and external parties involved in reviewing or scoring the equine marketing tender undertaken by his Department in April 2022; the date of any such tender evaluation; the number of applications received; the scoring differences between each tender evaluated; any guidance provided by officials involved in supporting the evaluators; the skills and background of each evaluator; what steps did the Department undertake to ensure that no official or external evaluator had any conflict or perceived conflict of interest and loyalty; what skills and experience in international marketing did those evaluating the applications possess; to provide the tender submissions received by each party to the tender process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11074/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The equine marketing tender evaluation panel was chaired by a Principal Officer of my Department and included two external experts in the fields of equine advisory/research and equine marketing. The evaluation of the contracts took place on 3^rd of May 2022.

Two tenders were submitted.

Tenderer A received 620 marks and Tenderer B received 631 marks out of a potential 1000 marks. The scoring difference between the tenderers was 11 marks.

The evaluation panel members were provided with a document (attached below), including scoring guidelines.

Each member of the evaluation panel completed a conflict-of-interest form prior to the evaluation process.

I am satisfied that the Evaluation Panel members both had the necessary skills and documentation to appropriately evaluate the tenders.

The tender documents submitted under the Marketing Tender are confidential and commercially sensitive documents and therefore are not publicly available.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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158. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm the reason for awarding an approximate €4 million marketing contract to an organisation with no marketing staff, no website, no social media presence and no history of marketing experience at the time of the award; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11075/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The contract referred to was awarded to the named organisation for the provision of Marketing Services to the sport horse sector. This was awarded following a competitive tendering process carried out by my Department in accordance with Public Procurement Guidelines.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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159. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm that the interactions he or his officials had with new appointees at that time to Horse Sport Ireland in November or December 2022; if he or his officials encouraged those board members to cease the High Court action launched by the previous board of the Horse Sport Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11076/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Following the resignation of the Directors of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI), including the Chairman, in the latter end of 2022, I moved quickly to appoint a number of interim Directors to the Board of HSI. Accordingly, On Thursday 17th November 2022, in consultation with Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD and Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht Jack Chambers TD, I appointed an interim chairman and three board members. Mr. Michael Dowling, former chair of Kerry Group PLC, as interim chair and Professor Niamh Brennan, Professor of Management and Corporate Governance at UCD, Ms. Zoe Kavanagh, Chief Executive Officer of the National Dairy Council, and Dr. Kevin Smyth, former Chief Financial Officer at my Department. This interim Board has provided stability to HSI and will remain in place until after the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Any decisions concerning the High Court action referred to were a matter for the Board of HSI.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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160. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter in relation to a tender (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11077/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A complaint was lodged with the EU Commission in March 2018 in relation to alleged unlawful state aid paid to an organisation by my Department.

Following communications between my Department and the Commission, it was agreed that a public procurement process would take place in 2022 in respect of certain services previously provided by the organisation, including the provision of marketing services to the sport horse sector.

I am satisfied that the procurement process carried out by officials in my Department to give effect to the agreement with the EU Commission was consistent with Public Procurement Guidelines and the contract for the provision of marketing services correctly awarded.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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161. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view that Government policy for the past 15 years has revolved around centralising sport horse services through the Horse Sport Ireland organisation, his views that changes in long established Government policy should be decided by way of tender decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11078/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is the national governing body for equestrian sport (there are more than 20 affiliate organisations) in Ireland. It is recognised by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the Irish Sports Council, the Olympic Council of Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland. It was established in 2007 on a 32 county basis when the Equestrian Federation of Ireland and the Irish Horse Board were amalgamated, bringing together the breeding and competition sectors.

HSI is also a recognised breed society and approved to maintain the Irish Sport Horse, Irish Draught Horse, Irish Sport Pony and Irish Cob Studbooks in accordance with the Animal Breeding Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2016/1012).

A complaint was lodged with the EU Commission in March 2018 in relation to alleged unlawful state aid paid to HSI by my Department. Following communications between my Department and the Commission, it was agreed that a public procurement process would take place in 2022 in respect of certain services namely, studbooks, national breeding and marketing.

Following the tendering process the successful tenderers were as follows:

- National Breeding Services – Horse Sport Ireland,

- Marketing Services for the Sport Horse Sector – Irish Horse Board, and

- Provision of Studbook services – Horse Sport Ireland (3 lots).

I am satisfied with the arrangements currently in place for the provision of the aforementioned supports to the sector.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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162. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has given consideration to the impact of tendering on other organisations funded by similar means as that of the Horse Sport Ireland, i.e., could ICBF, rural shows, dog shelters, or other organisations receiving grants from his Department without tenders, be required to tender into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11079/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department awards funding to a variety of organisations annually and using a number of different funding mechanisms. I am satisfied that in all instances where funding is provided best practice in financial management is adopted and all guidelines included in the Public Financial Procedures are applied, including with respect to procurement.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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163. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has a view of the anti-competition cases taken by a person at national and European level given that the complaint involved allegations of an anti-competitive relationship between his Department, HSI and the Irish Horse Board; his view that the tender decision will end speculation from WSI of anti-competitive practices; the current status of anti-competitive actions taken against his Department both at within the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Commission in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11080/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A complaint was lodged with the EU Commission in March 2018 in relation to alleged unlawful state aid paid to the named organisations by my Department. The complainant stated that the named organisation received state funding for breeding initiatives and the opportunity to avail of this funding was not made available for other studbooks. The complainant argued that the organisation was also granted the operations of the studbooks (Irish Sport Horse and Irish Draught) without a public tender and fair competition process. Other funding provided by this Department to the organisation under an ‘Equine Technical Support Scheme’ did not form part of the complaint.

Following communications between my Department and the Commission, it was agreed that a public procurement process would take place in 2022 in respect of certain services namely, studbooks, national breeding and marketing.

Following the completion of the public tender process, contracts in respect of the aforementioned services were awarded to the successful applicants, commencing in January 2023.

The European Commission has been informed of the outcome of the competitive procurement process. Separately, I have not been informed of any issues raised by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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164. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to a matter in relation to the Horse Sport Ireland board (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11081/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by HSI that the then Chairman of the Board of Directors of the named organisation was informed of potential conflicts of interest during tender preparation and submission and, that commercially sensitive tender documents were not disclosed to persons with a potential conflict of interest during the process.

I am further informed by HSI that all transactions are paid on the basis of participation in open application, independent selection or open competition.

I have asked HSI for further details in relation to the matter referred to in the Annual Report.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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165. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that as Minister for Agriculture he appoints up to two directors to the co-op board of the Irish Horse Board; when does this term expire; if he will continue to appoint a person or persons to that board; if he has sought input from that director on the Irish Horse Boards suitability or capability to undertake a contract worth €4 million; if he has given consideration to appointing governance experts to the board of the Irish Horse Board; what international marketing expertise existed within the Irish Horse Board Board of Directors at the time if tender evaluation in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11082/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that, as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I may appoint up to three Directors to the Board of the named organisation. At the time of establishment of the named organisation in 1993, it was deemed sufficient for the Minister at that time to appoint only one Director to the Board. The appointment does not include an expiry date.

Following the completion of the public tender process for the provision of certain services to the sport horse sector, the contract for the provision of Marketing Services was awarded to the Irish Horse Board.

I am satisfied that the tender for the provision of Marketing Services was appropriately awarded to the Irish Horse Board in line with Public Procurement Guidelines and that the Irish Horse Board has the capacity to successfully deliver the contracted services.

I did not consult the Ministerial appointee concerning the aforementioned contract during the procurement process.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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166. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that under EU legislation, studbook rules are required to be published by each breed society; the reason Horse Sport Ireland has not published studbook rules on its website for any of the studbooks it operates under licence from his Department; to confirm if his Department received copies of studbooks rules as part of the April 2022 tender submissions from Horse Sport Ireland; the reason those rules have not been published within the required 90 days of submission to the competent authority; if his officials have reviewed the studbook rules and on what dates such reviews occurred and by whom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11083/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Animal Breeding Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2016/1012 require for Member States to maintain a publicly available list of breed societies recognised and for each of their breeding programme, where available, a reference to a website where information on these breeding programmes can be accessed. Following a procurement competition in 2022, Horse Sport Ireland(HSI) secured a contract to operate the breeding books for the Irish Sport Horse, Irish Draught Horse, Irish Sport Pony, Irish Cob and Irish Partbred Cob Studbooks.

The breeding programmes for the respective breeds were provided by HSI to DAFM. My officials are working with HSI, as well as a number of other breed societies covered by the legislation, on finalising the details of their breeding programmes. HSI have rules for the Irish Sport Horse and Irish Draught breeds on their website and would be in a position to make their current breeding programme for other breeds available to breeders.

As referred above, my officials are working with HSI and other breed societies to meet the requirements of Article 8 of the Regulations regarding approval. Once approval is granted by my Department, Article 9 applies as appropriate.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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167. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for delays each year in the opening of breeding schemes for breeders of sport horses administered by Horse Sport Ireland; if he will confirm that the breeding schemes for 2024 will open to breeders during the actual breeding season or if as 2021, 2022 and 2023 schemes will open during or after the season; the rationale for such delays; the process undertaken by Horse Sport Ireland to develop 2024 programmes; the number of breeder and other studbooks engaged/consulted with by HSI in that preparation process; if there are enough resources within his Department to adequately and competently administer equine programmes for the sport horse and thoroughbred industries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11084/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of breeding services to the Sport Horse Industry is being delivered under contract by the named organisation since January 2023. As part of the contract, the named organisation is required to consult industry stakeholders, including studbooks, with regard to the annual work programme and to submit same to my Department for assessment and agreement. This process is well advanced in 2024 and agreement of the 2024 programme is imminent.

I am satisfied that adequate and competent resources are committed by my Department for both the evaluation and management of the breeding programme and supports to the thoroughbred industry.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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168. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter in relation to Horse Sport Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11085/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) is the national governing body for equestrian sport (there are 23 affiliate organisations) in Ireland. It is recognised by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the Irish Sports Council, the Olympic Council of Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland. It was established in 2007 on a 32-county basis when the Equestrian Federation of Ireland and the Irish Horse Board were amalgamated, bringing together the breeding and competition sectors.

I am advised by HSI that the then Board was aware of this human resources matter at that time and that it approved any arrangements made. The Deputy will be aware that in late 2022 I appointed an entirely new board to the organisation.

My Department provides funding to Horse Sport Ireland associated with the provision of National Breeding Services for the sport horse sector, including associated operational costs. Detailed operational matters are determined by the Board and the CEO of Horse Sport Ireland.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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169. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter in relation to the Irish Horse Board (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11086/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The named organisation is a Co-operative Society operating under the aegis of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS). The named organisation was awarded the contract for the provision of Marketing Services for the sport horse sector following a competitive tendering process.

Recruitment and associated employment issues linked to the delivery of this contract are an operational matter for the board of the named organisation.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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170. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will make the terms and conditions of published for the Equine Technical Support Scheme operated by his Department for 2023 available; if he can confirm the recipients of the funding, the initiative supported and the amount grant awarded and eventually paid to each recipient, in tabular form; if he is satisfied that each recipient of the funding met the stated eligibility criteria; to highlight any deviation from the stated criteria and reasons for such deviation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11087/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Equine Technical and Equine Breeding Scheme 2023 comprised three programme headings: General Programme; Training/Education Programme; and Research into Equine Diseases Programmes. The funding is provided to support various equine industry projects. Applicants must comply with the specific terms and conditions of each programme which were published on the Department's website. All recipients met the eligibility criteria and all funded projects were completed. However three projects received an extension for the submission of their final report. These reports will be available by the end of March. No other deviation in the stated criteria occurred. A detailed breakdown of the recipients of the funding, the initiatives supported, and the grant awarded are as follows:

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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171. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number and grades of each person within his Department responsible for sport horse policy; the qualifications of those persons; the number of those persons with a direct involvement in the sport horse sector, such as competing horses in sports competitions by them or direct family members; if there any conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts between current sport horse policy staff; the measures taken by his Department to ensure no conflicts or perceived conflicts arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11088/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The officials in my Department responsible for policy regarding the sport horse sector includes one Senior Inspector (Bachelor Agricultural Science, Ph D) and one Agricultural Inspector (Masters Agricultural Science M Agr Sc). Other staff within my Department, from administrative, technical or professional grades may be consulted on specific policy matters as required.

All Civil Servants including those with direct responsibility for sport horse policy are subject to the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour which includes, inter alia, managing potential conflicts of interest.

I am satisfied that this policy and associated actions are fully complied with by those responsible for horse sport policy in my Department.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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172. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he receives regular updates from Horse Sport Ireland on the current passporting difficulties experienced by equine breeders; the current numbers waiting for 2023 passports to be issued by each equine studbook, by breed, reason for delay, duration of delay in tabular form; if the migration to SNP DNA testing could have been managed better by either his Department or studbooks supported by his Department; the impact of such migration on passport issuing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11089/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Horse Sport Ireland operates the following studbooks under contract to my Department:

- the Irish Sport Horse,

- the Irish Sport Pony, -

- the Irish Draught,

- the Irish Cob, and

- the Irish Part-bred Cob.

My Department is in regular contact with Horse Sport Ireland with regard to the contract, including the issuance of passports. I am advised that the current situation with regard to 2023 applications for passports is as follows:

- 6,097 foal applications received across the five administered studbooks, 4,841 (79%) of these have been issued to breeders with 1,256 (21%) remaining.

- Of the remaining passports:

• 409 (7% of the total) have full DNA results received from the laboratory and are being actively worked on.
• 847 (14% of the total) remain outstanding due to additional DNA or documentation required from breeders.

  Total	6097
  Passports Posted	4841	79%
  Passports Remaining	1256	21%

Of the passports remaining

My officials do not have the current breakdown by breed. I have asked that HSI provide the to officials in my Department for onwards transmission to the Deputy.

The decision of my Department to only fund Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genomic testing, under the National Breeding Services and the Equine Technical Support (ETS) Scheme, will facilitate advances in breeding programmes to the betterment of the industry as well as providing parentage verification. While I am aware that delays were experienced in issuance of passports in recent months, I understand that HSI have taken a number of steps to address these issues and will continue to work with breeders to issue all outstanding passports as soon as possible.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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173. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding provided by either Horse Sport Ireland and Sport Ireland to equestrian related bodies in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; under what programmes and for what purposes in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11090/24]

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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174. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of funding provided by Horse Sport Ireland to equestrian related bodies in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; under what programmes and for what purposes in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11091/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together.

I have requested the funding information provided by Horse Sport Ireland and upon receipt of same will forward it directly to the Deputy.

Funding provided by Sport Ireland does not come within the remit of my Department.