Horse Sport Ireland seeking increased funding for Irish Sport Horse industry in Budget 2020 to stimulate growth in employment and rural development

  • 28 June 2019, 09:49

Horse Sport Ireland is seeking increased Government funding of €5 Million in Budget 2020, which would bring the total Government allocation to Ireland’s National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport to €10 Million per year.

This week saw the launch of the Horse Sport Ireland Industry Economic Forum 2020 Budget Campaign. The Forum has met on several occasions this year and comprises of members of the Sport Horse Alliance Group, members of the Board of Horse Sport Ireland and key regional sector individuals from around the Country. The Forum is Chaired by Barry O’Connor. The members include Tiernan Gill (Industry Representative) Pat McCartan (Industry Representative), Michael Slattery (Industry Representative), Lucinda Creighton (HSI Board Member), Clare Hughes (HSI Board Member) Joe Reynolds (HSI Chairman), Ronan Murphy (HSI CEO), Avalon Everett (HSI General Counsel) and Molly Shea (HSI Industry Economic Forum Liaison). These members are further supported by industry representatives in each region.

The Forums’ objective is to formalise, consolidate and amplify the Horse Sport Ireland strategic priorities of resource mobilisation, sector engagement and county/regional support. The key vision of the Forum is to develop and integrate stakeholder communications to raise national awareness of the importance of the Sport Horse Sector in Ireland. The Forum seeks to translate the overarching objectives of the Strategic Plan into specific, aligned and inspirational messages, so that all stakeholders in the industry can illustrate the importance sport horse sector locally.
The immediate purpose of the Forum is to seek additional financial support from our Government in the upcoming 2020 budget.

This funding will be invested throughout the sport horse industry in order to stimulate the industry, create jobs, increase exports and finally realise the sport horse sector’s true potential. The sport horse sector can boast as offering 14,057 jobs to rural Ireland where unemployment is ranked at twice the national average. With parity funding and support, it is estimated that the sport horse sector can significantly increase its profitability by 50% and contribute to rural development. The annual economic benefit of the sport horse industry is put at €816 Million. The Horse Sport Ireland Industry Economic Forum seeks to amplify this message and secure the additional funding through their campaign in the coming weeks.

Further details of the Horse Sport Ireland Industry Economic Forum Budget 2020 campaign available HERE

 

 

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