Susan Finnerty: Foal passports, what is the current situation?

Denis Duggan: I do think it’s important we recognise, and we’ve always recognised over the last couple of months, that there is a level of frustration amongst genuine breeders. There is a false narrative as well, that is disseminated on social media.

SF: In what way? Passports getting delayed, lost, about HSI in general?

DD: With passport delays. We do recognise that has caused frustration, we do recognise that we could have done better in the external communication around that. We do acknowledge that and we just want to reassure people that things will be much more improved this year.

There are also some positives over the last year. We implemented a brand-new IT system, with significant support from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine [DAFM]. In order to implement that IT system, we had to move half a million horse records to the new system. There were delays in the migration.

SF: Was the time it would take to do that underestimated?

DD: No, it wasn’t. It was always a time-sensitive project. It was European funding and the project had to be completed by July, which it was. The data files were so large that what we experienced was that you migrate the data and then have to validate and check that the data migrated correctly. But we got it up and running and got it live.

It meant that effectively we shut off samples coming in and samples going to the lab for about a six to seven-week window.

The new system [Horse Source] went live in July. Within six weeks, we had 4,500 applications on the new system out of a total pot of 7,000 foal applications. That’s two-thirds of the foal crop in a six-week period.

All those foal kits had to be prepared and issued, which they were. Again, we always try to have those done within a week and, at that really busy time, it might have taken us a week and a half, or a little bit longer. But the point is that they got out to breeders.

In previous years, the data would have indicated to us that from the time a breeder got a foal kit, to the time that foal kit came back to HSI, was 134 days on average, which is four months. With the new system, that window, and this is a very positive development, is down to 32 days.

SF: So you’re working on the backlog?

DD: There is no backlog. The full passport backlog is clear, there is not a backlog as it currently stands.

However, out of approximately 6,500 applications submitted on Horse Source, we have, as of last week, 650 breeders that have paid for an application on our system. They have got a marking chart. They might have lost it, might have got lost in the post. But we haven’t received a marking chart and a DNA sample back from 650 breeders, which means that there are 650 foals that we can’t process an application for until that comes back.

We’ve sent those breeders reminders. I would encourage them to heed the reminders and get their applications into us as soon as they can to complete the passport.

SF: But does that not run parallel with the thought that if you send in paperwork, it could get lost?

DD: That’s not the case. We’re looking for the DNA kit and the marking chart. Somebody has a foal on the ground, they paid for it, send it in, we get the process completed and get their passport out to them. If for any reason, maybe a foal has died, other circumstances, just let us know and we can arrange refunds if that’s a scenario. We need to be able to establish what the situation is with those remaining 650.

To be fair, there’s a trickle coming in every week. 20, 30 people are responding to the reminders, but it really would be good to get the bulk of them in as soon as we can.

SF: What’s your advice for breeders in 2025? Get the application in as soon as the foal is on the ground or wait?

DD: Absolutely. Do not wait. A lot of The Irish Field readers are also cattle breeders. They will know from their beef operation that they have to have a calf registered within 28 days. There is no reason not to start your registration process early.

If there’s a foal on the ground, start the process early. And it’s good from a welfare traceability perspective as well.

SF: Breeding department staff numbers - do you think that you have adequate staff numbers?

DD: We have a hugely dedicated team, particularly in the breeding department. It’s important to note we have a Breeding Grants Administration team and we have a Studbook team and the two are separate.

We will be shortly announcing the opening of over 30 different schemes and incentives to breeders [since announced]. Recently, we announced the funding for 85 or 86 shows around the country, almost €600,000.

There’s another €2.4 million to be dispersed through the remaining schemes; breaking, schooling, embryo transfer.

All of those schemes are administered by our breeding team on behalf of the DAFM. That’s a team of six or seven people and there’s a significant volume of work for six or seven.

SF: Do you need more staff for issuing passports? Are you understaffed?

DD: No, we’re quite happy with our staff at the moment. We’ve made huge efforts within our registrations team over the last six, seven months and we’re now almost at a point where we have a staff complement of almost 20 people within the passport team.

So, you’re asking me about will things be different in the year ahead? During last year, we had staff turnover, which is a challenge, and at points, we dipped to nine, 10, maybe 12 people, whereas we’re heading into this breeding season with a complement of 20.

We already have foal applications in. Most foals haven’t hit the ground yet, but that is my understanding, looking at the data, that there are already 20, 25 foals on the ground with a passport.