Army Equitation School under the microscope

No member of the Army Equitation School is paid in excess of €80,000 per annum.

That information emerged last week, when the school was picked up by the Dáil radar for the third time this year.

The first of these saw Defence Minister Alan Shatter outline that “the annual running cost of the Army Equitation School in 2012 (excluding salaries) was €908,478. Salaries accounted for a further €1.35m , approximately. The allocation to run the Equitation School (excluding salaries) has been reduced to €860,000 in 2013. A new horse transport vehicle was recently purchased for the Equitation School at a once-off cost of €213,359. (inclusive of VAT). The total prize money won by the Equitation School at national and international events in 2012 amounted to €73,835. Under agreed arrangements, 50% of the prize money won is awarded to participating Army riders”.