Call for Army Equitation School cost review

WITH Government expenditure under intense scrutiny, it comes as no surprise that the Army Equitation School has again featured on the radar.

Labour TD Michael McCarthy put two parliamentary questions to Justice and Defence Minister Alan Shatter last week seeking information on the school’s purchase of horses and its travel costs, resulting in a comprehensive breakdown.

Yesterday, the Cork South-West deputy suggested the country could no longer support “projects” such as the Equitation School, though he later said he was “not calling for the abolition of the school, but rather a need to review the cost of it”.

In a statement, he said: “There is a profound economic crisis going on and the Government is virtually bankrupt. A comprehensive review of public expenditure across all Government Departments is currently underway and it is in this context that parliamentarians like myself are scrutinising various elements of public spend.

“The time when we can splash out millions of euros on projects like this has, unfortunately, come to an end. It is necessary in order to ensure a fair and equitable Budget in these extraordinary times, and to reduce the impact on already distressed low and middle-classes,” said the Dunmanway-based TD, who added he would be articulating his views to his party colleagues.

In March of this year, outgoing Defence Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv directed that the school be retained. It had been recommended for closure in the McCarthy Report. The school reputedly costs about €1 million to run annually. It has eight officers and 22 enlisted personnel and owns or leases 39 horses at present.

A spokesperson for the Department of Defence yesterday said “the Minister currently has no plans to discontinue the operation of the Army Equitation School, but the matter is kept under review”.

A spokesperson for the Defence Forces said it would be “inappropriate” to comment.

lTHE 25th anniversary of the Owners Pony and Young Riders Charity Show begins today at Millstreet and the organisers are hopeful of breaking last year’s record-breaking 3,500 figure for entries.

Spokesperson Keith Griffin said: “Already we have 3,200 entries, but late entries are still being accepted. We never turn down money, considering charity is the beneficiary. In our 24 years, we have raised, €230,000 and our target this year is to bring in another €20,000 in a bid to reach the quarter of a million mark.”

The show features six arenas with a big emphasis on fun.

“The feature on Friday is the six-bar for 148cms ponies, which is normally a crowd-puller. Saturday’s centre-piece is two puissance competitions. In between, the Johnny Hannon Musical Ride takes place, which sees a group doing formation riding to music. The night closes with our usual auction.

“Sunday is grand prix day, while the grand finale is the retiring riders competition, with competitors in fancy dress for what is their last competition on ponies.”

Griffin confirmed that Showjumping Ireland chairman Christy Murphy had ensured that the starting date for the association’s new insurance policy with XL had been brought forward to accommodate the show.

* BILLY TWOMEY kept the Irish flag flying in the second round of the Rolex World Cup in Helsinki last weekend, placing seventh with Romanov II.

This leaves him 12th in the Western European League, two places behind Denis Lynch.

Both line out this weekend in the third leg in Lyon, alongside Shane Breen.