THE publication of Economist Jim Power’s report on the Irish sport horse industry is not yet ready to be presented to government due to the delayed UCD report, which will give the official figures needed to lobby for greater funding.

Barry O’Connor, leading sport horse agent and spokesperson for the 20-strong Irish Sport Horse Industry Group who hired Power to conduct the study, said this week that the report conducted by Power cannot be applied without the UCD findings, which acts as a census for all of the sport horse industry.

“Jim Power is waiting on the UCD figures, and it looks like it will be another four weeks before we even get the draft, so that is the only delay at the moment,” O’Connor told The Irish Field yesterday (Friday).

The group, who personally committed to funding Power’s study last August, are currently working on a list of asks for the government, which include “simply things” like infrastructure grants, prize money and educational programmes. They expect to have that list finalised in the coming four to six weeks.

“The list that we bring to the government has to affect export and jobs, they will not give us money if it doesn’t. We have got to earn that money with facts and figures, there is no chance of money just for our own enjoyment.

“The timeline at the moment is that we are working on the asks – this, and the Jim Power report and the costing will all be given to the government before the summer recess, in preparation for the autumn budget,” O’Connor added.

ECONOMY

The sport horse sector is worth over €700 million to the Irish economy, with over 47,000 participating in the sector on a regular basis and 12,000 full-time jobs. Horse Sport Ireland currently receives €3.8 million in funding per year.

Together with HSI, they are pushing for a three-fold increase in industry funding to the region of €12 million. “To do things properly and fully fund everything we need money in the €10-12 million region. We are talking about trying to lift our output by 10% a year over the next five years,” said O’Connor.

O’Connor also revealed the group have hired a public relations consultant to advise them on how best to create a case for the extra funding.

BREXIT

Meanwhile, the group are working on a Brexit policy to help find a solution and create opportunity in the wake of Britain exiting the European Union. O’Connor stressed the importance of having a unique relationship with Britain.

“The sport horse industry in Europe aren’t as we are here in Ireland. Up to 70-80% of our export market rely on the English market – we want to have a unique relationship with them.

“We already have a unique relationship with Northern Ireland because of our shared studbooks.

“The solution dovetails into what we want. We want to build sport centres, run a couple of international show here, and our international market will be England, we want them to come here to compete and to buy horses.

“We are trying to find the solutions – the first one is travel, and that’s the most important, it’s all in the same line as the thoroughbred industry,” the Malahide-based agent said.

EDUCATION

O’Connor is also passionate about directing funding towards education within the industry.

“We need something like an apprenticeship where people leave school, get a qualification of some sort and then they will fall into a certain pay bracket. At the moment, a lot of alliance member have problem getting staff, it’s all a bit wishy-washy.”

Meanwhile, the Indecon review of Horse Sport Ireland, which was expected in February is still said to be weeks away from publication.

A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture told The Irish Field on Thursday: “The Indecon Report regarding the review of Horse Sport Ireland should be published within the coming weeks.”