Horse Sport Ireland was back before the agriculture committee in January. While the issue discussed was primarily the issuing of passports, it failed to address the contentious issue of a new high-performance levy for our top athletes. In the face of outrage from the sector, the sporting body subsequently backed down on its initial €60 charge and instead implemented a new €45 fee. It is hard not to see this move as little more than a money-making exercise from our equine sports body. Arguably the most telling criticism came from Barry O'Connor, owner and leading showjumping supporter, who also sits on the HSI showjumping advisory group as the riders' representative. He said he was disappointed but not surprised and that it is typical of what happens that people who run out of ideas go and levy their clients. He said it shows a lack of understanding of the cost of running horses. He warned that the HSI has no corporate partnerships, engages in no effective lobbying and appears indifferent to other revenue streams. Making everything more expensive is an old-fashioned, amateur way of doing business.

Then, we had a sequel earlier this year when the HSI announced increased fees for the registration of foals, of up to €155 online and €190 for paper-based applications.

This body has now implemented two substantial price increases for 2026. Representatives from the HSI had the perfect opportunity, at that agriculture committee on 24 January, to explain the rationale for the new fees for registration but they did not avail of that opportunity and instead rolled out the contentious price increases less than four weeks later, further incensing an angry, disbelieving and frustrated breeding community. At a time when our international athletes are to the fore in every equestrian discipline, the agency we rely on the most for promoting and developing the sector is clearly at odds with the industry.

HSI is now out of touch with its owners, riders, breeders and producers. It has succeeded in uniting the equestrian community for all the wrong reasons. I have previously said it is time to stop funding this agency and I will repeat that call here today. I ask the Minister, Deputy Heydon, to directly intervene. At a very minimum, he should take the registration function from HSI and hand it back to the Irish Horse Board.