Written answers
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Horse Racing Industry
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1048. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 158 of 6 March 2024, why no reasons were provided to the question; if he will provide the reasons 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. [12902/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
arketing Services to the sport horse sector was awarded to the Irish Horse Board following a competitive tendering process carried out by my Department in accordance with Public Procurement Guidelines.
The Request for Tender (RFT) provided details of the award criteria and each tender was evaluated based on their submissions. The contract was awarded on the basis of the tenderer meeting the specified criteria in the RFT and being deemed the most economically advantageous tenderer.The contract for the provision of M
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1049. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 6 March 2024, given the overall value of the tender in question and other tenders (details supplied), if the tender processes in question was notified to the Official Journal of the European Union; if the tender notification required notification to the Official Journal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12903/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
In January 2022, the threshold at which the Directive applies for goods/services to be notified to the Official Journal of the EU was revised to €140,000 (ex VAT).
Accordingly, the National Equine Breeding Services and the Marketing Services for the Sport Horse Sector in Ireland tenders were notified to the Official Journal of the EU, details as follows:
RFT 206629 - National Equine Breeding Services
A Contract Notice (OJEU Notice number 2022/S 025-062734) was published to the Official Journal of the European Union in respect of this tender competition as the estimated value was in excess of the threshold applicable at the time of publication.
RFT 207932 - Marketing Service for the Sport Horse Sector in Ireland
A Contract Notice (OJEU Notice number 2022/S 035-089112) was published to the Official Journal of the European Union in respect of this tender competition as the estimated value was in excess of the threshold applicable at the time of publication.
Finally, no Contract Notice was published to the Official Journal of the European Union in respect of the Studbooks Tender competition as the estimated value was below the threshold applicable at the time of publication.
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1050. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 6 March 2024, if he will consider appointing his full cohort of three directors to the board of directors of the Irish Horse Board, including directors with international marketing and governance expertise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12904/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
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. Currently one Ministerial nominee has been appointed and I have no plans to make any further appointments to the Board.
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1051. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to explain how a company with a stated objective within its constitution/rules to promote one studbook above all others won a tender to promote all of his Department's approved studbooks (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12905/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
The contract for the provision of Marketing Services to the sport horse sector and was awarded to the Irish Horse Board following a competitive tendering process carried out by my Department in accordance with Public Procurement Guidelines.
The Constitution of the Irish Horse Board was last consolidated in 2011. It lists 22 objectives for the organisation. Several of these objectives are both relevant to the wider Sport Horse industry and the provision of the Marketing Services , including, inter alia ,
- "to increase the prosperity of those engaged in the horse industry in Ireland by co-operative action in all aspects of the industry including promotion and marketing",
- "to identify markets and help define breeding goals which best serve these markets; to promote the Irish Horse in these markets".
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1052. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 6 March 2024, the terms of such exit agreement to a named member of staff within a named organisation (details supplied); the costs to his Department of such an agreement; if the named individual was named as part the management team/project team of a series of tenders submitted to his Department during a period under which the person was exempt from competing against their former employer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12906/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
My Department provides funding to the named organisation for the purpose of supporting the sport horse sector, which includes associated operational costs.
Operational matters are determined by the Board and the CEO of the named organisation. I am advised that during 2021 and up to January 2022, a HR matter involving the named individual was under active management by the then Board of the named organisation. I am further advised that the matter was brought to a resolution by the named organisation in January 2022 within the budgetary provision made available my Department.
I can confirm that the named individual was not referred to in the said tender submission/s by the second named organisation.
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1053. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 167 of 6 March 2024, the number of engagements or interactions undertaken by his Department with industry stakeholders including studbooks either face-to-face, event or by video platform during 2023 regarding the sport horse sector; if he will provide details of the various officials involved in such interactions, their grade and each individual organisation that was interacted with, in tabular form; if similar information can be provided for each organisation delivering equine services under contract to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12908/24]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
It is not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy within the required timeframe. The information is currently being compiled and I will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
No comments