THAT oft-quoted phase ‘a week is a long time in politics’ came to mind this week as political uncertainty raged on the floor of Dáil Éireann as the fallout from the whistleblowers’ controversy took ever more sinister twists and turns.

It’s against this now increasingly shaky political background that the Indecon review of Horse Sport Ireland is expected to be completed and released in early March.

As the McCabe fallout rightly continues to dominate the corridors of power at Leinster House, let’s hope that the threats of a looming general election will not be the latest unforseen giant spanner to be thrown into the works as it could really delay progress in the €700m Irish Sport Horse sector.

Senior officials from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, kindly put me in the picture this week as to the expected steps along the path to making key appointments at Horse Sport Ireland.

“Minister Ross has the role of nominating the chairman in consultation with Minister Creed. Both Ministers agreed that the role be publicly advertised and applicants will be assessed from which a suitable candidate will then be nominated by the two Ministers,” said the officials.

ELECTION THREAT

As announced recently by Horse Sport Ireland, Jim Beecher has agreed to chair the board meetings in the interim until the new HSI chairman is appointed.

The chairman’s role is an unpaid one and as such either probably best suited to a person of retirement age or one with his/her own means of income.

Meanwhile, the closing dates for applications for the crucial role of chief executive officer of HSI, currently filled by interim CEO James Kennedy, was recently publicly advertised as Friday, March 24th, 5pm.

As Irish Nations Cup teams took to arenas in the United Arab Emirates and Ocala, Florida, this week, there has been no announcement yet as to who the successful candidates are for Ireland’s key senior senior show jumping and eventing chefs d’equipe, the closing date for applications for both of those jobs was January 23rd last.

It would all remind you of that catchy political phase of a particular party - “A Lot Done More To Do”.

Let’s hope we will not see the election posters going up on the poles before the political wheels have been put in motion on those key HSI jobs.