SUPER Junior Minister at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett (GP), set out her vision for a “world-class” vibrant Irish Sport Horse industry against a backdrop of what is widely acknowledged to be one of the toughest upcoming Budgets ever.

Acknowledging the 15,000 full-time jobs in the sport horse sector which contributes almost €1 billion to the country’s economy annually, Minister Hackett told The Irish Field this week: “My vision for the Sport Horse Industry is for our breeding programmes to be acknowledged as world class. We’ve had lots of success already. In eventing our Irish Sport Horse Studbook has been the first in the world ranking for 22 out of the last 25 years and in show jumping, our young horses have excelled.

“However we haven’t seen the same level of success with our older horses, so we need a proper pathway for these young show jumpers. I know this is what Horse Sport Ireland wants too, and I fully support the National Equine Production Pathway which supports horse assessments, health screening, young horse production, and educational days for breeders.

“I see this as adding value to the animal at each stage of production, and I can see it making a big contribution towards our goal of being in the top division of the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horse Studbook ranking for show jumpers in 10 to 15 years.”

The Minister has years of experience in riding and producing both sport horses and thoroughbreds.

On public funding for the industry, Minister Hackett replied: “I think everyone accepts that 2021 will be a tough year from a budget point of view and we’re just going to have to wait and see what develops in the estimates process. It’s important to acknowledge that the grant aid from which my department gives to Horse Sport Ireland doubled between 2017 and 2020, but at the same time, I do agree that the sector has much potential to grow.

“I don’t want to say the Covid-19 pandemic effectively wipes out any hope of a Budget increase for the sector, but 2021 will be a very difficult year. There will be many demands on Minister McConalogue’s vote.”

With members of HorseCare Ireland keen for sport horse yards to be included in TAMS II and have access to the various grant schemes available to farmers, Minister Hackett commented: “Decisions around TAMS over the transition period, and under the next CAP have yet to be made, but horses are not precluded from future on-farm investment schemes.”

Equine welfare

Minister Hackett added: “No one wants to see the suffering and neglect of any animal, and Government is committed to the robust enforcement of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. It is not easy. However with the active involvement of the Gardaí, Customs, the ISPCA and the DSPCA, we are making progress, and over 170 animals have been seized in the past four years. We are putting money into animal welfare too, and there is a commitment in the Programme for Government to double the ex gratia funding to animal welfare organisations within the next two years. My Department continues to support a number of urban horse welfare programmes.”

Of any future political ambitions, Minister Hackett replied: “I have far exceeded any ambitions I would ever have had in politics. Getting elected to Offaly County Council was a hugely proud moment for me. To go on to fill the Seanad seat vacated by Grace O’Sullivan (now MEP) last November, and to be re-elected to that seat at the end of March was just fantastic.

“Little did I think that a couple of months later I would be selected by my party leader Eamon Ryan to become a Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, with a seat at the cabinet table. I had been actively involved in the Programme for Government negotiations across a number of areas, and led the Green Party negotiations on Agriculture. It is hard work in a stressful environment, but I will endeavour to do my best with the time I have in office. Of course, none of it would be possible without the support of Mark and the kids, and in particular my Mum Jeannie, who is always there for us.

“I would certainly like to take a seat in Laois-Offaly – I was sixth in the five-seat Laois-Offaly constituency in February, and that would be my goal to take a seat in the next general election.”

Read Dickie Power’s interview with Minister Pippa Hackett on pages 94-95.