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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D., today published a Report produced by Indecon International Consultants entitled ‘Review of Certain Matters relating to Horse Sport Ireland’.

The Minister said “My Department commissioned the Indecon Report on foot of one of the recommendations in the Reaching New Heights Strategy, a document that charts a range of measures required to assist the sport horse industry achieve its potential. Horse Sport Ireland, as the organisation responsible for devising and implementing strategies for the development and promotion of an internationally competitive Irish sport horse industry, will have a key role in this. It is important therefore that the organisation is placed on the best footing to carry out this role and have the optimum organisational architecture and mode of operation for this purpose. Indecon International Consultants have considerable experience of advising organisations in both the public and private sectors of the best structural arrangements and governance practice”.

The Review includes an in-depth analysis of the structure, operations, funding and other aspects of the organisation. The Minister continued “The Report contains recommendations aimed at placing HSI on a sound and modern footing to secure the viability and sustainability of the sport horse sector so that it can make the maximum contribution to the economy and stakeholders”.

Minister Creed noted the Report’s recommendations cover four broad areas;

Evaluation of HSI Governance
HSI Structure
Review of Registration, Breeding and Performance Database Structures.
Review of Programmes and Supports provided by HSI
The Minister concluded “This report contains significant recommendations . Actions taken on foot of the report will help to ensure that Horse Sport Ireland is best placed to spearhead the continued development of the sport horse sector”.

Note for Editors
The report is available on the Department’s website at:
http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/horses/reviewofcertainmattersrelatingtohorsesportireland/

Indecon International Economic Consultants were awarded the contract to conduct a review of certain aspects of Sport Horse Ireland following a competitive tender process.
The Terms of Reference for the Review were as follows:
- Evaluation of whether HSI operates in accordance with best practice governance principles.
- Review of the structure of relationship between HSI, the Irish Horse Board and other affiliates.
- Review of equine regulation, breeding and performance database structure.
- Review of programmes and supports provided by HSI to wider equine sporting and breeding Industry.