Private clients connected to National Stud paid €235,000 to use facilities

PRIVATE studs connected to key personnel at the Irish National Stud (INS) spent €235,199 over nine years to avail of the breeding facilities at the semi-state farm.

This was predominantly to keep mares at the INS while they bred with stallions belonging to, or stabled at, the Irish National Stud.

The largest amount of money exchanged between the directors and the INS was paid by former director Tony Smurfit.

Between 2001, until he stepped down in 2004, Mr Smurfit spent €57,537 to keep mares on the grounds.

Clodagh McStay, wife of company secretary John McStay, spent €55,196 over the entire nine-year period.

Four companies controlled by chairman of the board Chryss O’Reilly have paid the INS €39,799 since 2001.

The new chief executive, and former director, John Osbourne spent €30,620.

And Pat O’Kelly, who retired as a director in December, paid €44,114.

However, the biggest internal ‘keep’ customer of the INS was linked to breeding manager, Helen Boyce, who is a member of the Jaykayenn Syndicate.

It spent €40,322 at the stud in 2007, €30,305 in 2008 and €23,516 in 2009.

Four other staff members spent a combined €16,467 in ‘keep’ fees since 2007.

The INS said it would not release the full details of these fees paid by staff because of an ongoing legal case, which it did not provide information on.

Details of these trades, as they relate to company directors, are reported in broad terms in the annual reports of the INS.

The individual breakdown was supplied under the Freedom of Information act.

Many of the INS’s directors have had a close involvement with the breeding of stallions its owns.

Ms O’Reilly, Mr McStay and Mr Stewart hold shares in some of the stallions currently standing at the INS through joint-ownership syndicates.

The INS encourages its senior personnel to do business with the company.

The keep fees are typically incurred when mares are brought in for breeding and need to stay overnight. Mares, particularly those based overseas, may have to stay at the INS for a number of weeks and this is when the larger bills are built up.

The INS said it charges its directors, and those connected to them, commercial rates for keeping mares at the stud.