A plan to send thoroughbred horses from Ireland to China as part of a €38m deal, announced during a ministerial trade mission, has been put on hold.

Horse Racing Ireland has announced a significant restructuring of its marketing subsidiary in the wake of the resignation of a senior director over breach of ethics concerns.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has defended allowing an executive to play a key role in the recent trade trip to China, despite him being disciplined for a conflict of interest involving horse sales to Chinese clients.

The shock resignation of Michael O’Hagan from HRI comes after his courting of Chinese investors, writes Investigative Correspondent Conor Ryan

The new director of international affairs at Horse Racing Ireland has resigned after twice being sanctioned for a serious conflict of interest involving his wife’s business.

A working group on market access for Irish beef in China is the first such group set up by an EU member state, and Ireland is one of only three countries worldwide to have such a working group, said Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, in a recent review of what he described as the “very significant” achievements of the trade delegation he led to China in April.

HORSE Racing Ireland (HRI) yesterday announced a series of budgetary measures for 2011, in response to the challenging economic environment, the €1.6m reduction in funding announced in the recent budget, and a drop in HRI’s overall income.

HORSE RACING Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh last night announced draconian cuts for the sport and warned that the national equine industry’s future may be ‘unravelling.’