Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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396. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1455 of March 18 2026, the marketing plans submitted and approved at the start of year for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 by the Irish Horse Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23481/26]

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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397. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the annual work plans submitted by the Horse Sport Ireland at the start of each year and the corresponding year-end report on activities for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23482/26]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 396 and 397 together.

The contracts for the delivery of National Breeding Services and the National Marketing Services for the Sport Horse Sector both commenced on 1 January 2023 and will conclude at the end of 2026.

My Department has commenced the tendering process for the delivery of both of these services from 1 January 2027.

Given the commercial sensitivities associated with annual work plans, it would not be appropriate to make these publicly available.

However, the approved activities in respect of the these services for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 are included in the annual reports published on the following link gov.ie - Animal Breeding: www.gov.ie/en/publication/412da-animal-breeding/#zootechnics-and-recognised-establishments-in-the-zootechnical-field or at the following webpage: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/publications/animal-breeding.

The 2026 report will not be available until after the end of this year.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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398. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1456 of March 18, 2026, if he is aware of governance issues within an organisation (details supplied); if he is aware of issues relating to governance reform; if these issues were discussed in his recent meeting with the organisation's committee and during his visit to the organisation; the efforts his Department has made if any to support governance improvement in the organisation; his views on the implication of governance issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23483/26]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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For clarification the two named organisations are independent companies limited by guarantee.

I am aware that one of the named organisations are considering the options around governance reform. However, these matters do not fall with the remit of my Department which is guided by the obligations of the EU Animal Breeding Regulations in relation to the recognition of breed societies and approval of breeding programmes. Therefore, governance issues are a matter for the Society.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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399. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1456 of March 18, 2026, the financial supports made available to an organisation (details supplied) since 2023; the marketing and promotion efforts made by his Department or agencies supported by his Department since 2023 to market and promote the traditional Irish horse; if sufficient marketing and promotion of the traditional Irish horse has been undertaken on behalf of the organisation's breeders in the past five years; if his Department plans to increase the marketing and promotion of traditional Irish horses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23484/26]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department has made no direct financial supports to the named organisation or breeders since 2023. The marketing and promotion of the Irish sport horse sector, including the traditional Irish horse, falls under the remit of the Irish Horse Board which is under contract for the provision of National Marketing Services since 2023.

In this regard, I have provided €800k plus VAT annually since 2023 for their activities. The contract includes the promotion and marketing of Irish bred horses and Irish breeders and producers, to protect, enhance and build the reputation of the sport horse industry, to increase National and International exposure of the Irish Sport Horse Industry.

The provision of National Marketing Services is designed to serve the entirety of the Irish sport horse sector rather than any individual breed or breed associations and funding allocations reflect this framework.

The activities carried out under the National Marketing Services are included in the annual reports published on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/publications/animal-breeding/#dafm-supported-organisations-in-animal-breeding or at the following webpage: .

The contract for these Services commenced on 1 January 2023. The current contract ends on 31 December 2026. In advance of this date, a competitive procurement competition will be launched for the provision of these services from 1 January 2027.