Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

233. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will indicate the current strength of the sport horse sector with particular reference to the production and marketing of the Connemara pony; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16151/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

An important pillar of Government policy is to support the development of the sport horse sector and enhance the breeding and marketing of Irish sport horses. My Department and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (DTCAGSM) via Sport Ireland (SI) provide public funds to the sport horse industry to assist them meet these objectives.

My Department provides direct funding totalling approximately €6m annually, for the sector through:

a) Equine National Breeding Services (NBS) delivered by Horse Sport Ireland (HSI)

b) Equine Marketing Services delivered by Irish Horse Board (IHB)

c) Equine Technical Supports (ETS) for equine industry projects based on a competitive application process.

Connemara pony breeders are in a position to benefit from these initiatives.

The Connemara Pony is a globally recognised breed and the Connemara Pony Breeders Society (CPBS) is the breed society recognised for the breed and approved to operate a breeding programme for the Connemara pony under the Animal Breeding Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2016/1012). I am informed that the Society have seen an increase in the number of breeders with 3,658 breeders registering over 5,300 ponies in 2024.

The Connemara Pony excels in a variety of disciplines, including showjumping, working hunter, eventing, and dressage, making it the ideal pony for both children and adults and is often referred to as a "treasure of Ireland". The popularity of the pony has also being reflected in the market, with the market for these ponies stronger than ever. In the past few years, I am aware that prices for foals and produced ponies have reached record highs. Ponies are regularly exported to Europe and the USA, with the Clifden Connemara Pony sales standing as the largest and most prestigious sales event in Ireland and now holds approximately 16 sales days each year, with more than 200 ponies available at each event.

Breed improvement remains central to the studbook’s mission and the CPBS organise inspections for breeders to facilitate improvement of the breed. In addition, all animals entering the breeding book are tested for 'Hoofwall Separation Disease (HWSD), a genetic disorder, to determine the status of the heritable gene. The results of this test allows breeders to make informed decisions in their breeding selection with the ambition to eradicate its presence from the breeding population.

The Connemara pony breed are also recognised as a native rare breed. Therefore, breeders have priority access tier one to the Agri Climate Rural Environmental Scheme (ACRES) and benefit from further payments to support the breed being maintained by Irish farmers.