THE Minister for Agriculture has emphasised the need for the passport issuing situation to improve at Horse Sport Ireland, saying he is “monitoring the matter closely”.

Answering a parliamentary question on what steps are being taken to reduce the delays in the processing of equine passports, Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, said: “My Department is aware of delays in the processing of equine passport applications at Horse Sport Ireland (HSI). This is an operational matter for HSI. My Department has, however, met with HSI to stress the importance of prompt identification of equines and the need for swift turnaround times in the issuing of identification documents.

“My Department has emphasised the need for this situation to improve and for HSI to keep their customers up to date on the status of their passport applications. I am continuing to monitor this matter closely.”

The Irish Field asked Horse Sport Ireland for an update to the numbers of passports issued on Friday, but HSI declined to provide any figures. “It is important to note that we are not commenting on daily issuance figures, as the process is fluid, with applications at different stages of completion. Focusing on daily numbers does not reflect the broader progress of the passporting system as a whole,” the response said.

As outlined in the October 5th issue, almost 600 passports had been issued since mid-July from 2,280, with 780 due to be issued within two weeks.

HSI said the average processing time from application submission to dispatch is approximately 70 days, and this can vary depending on timely returns of DNA results and marking charts from breeders.

Frustrated breeder

Galway breeder Eamonn Hogan contacted Irish Horse World this week to speak of his frustration with the passport issuing system. Hogan stands three Thoroughbred stallions at Rosshill Farm just outside Galway city and is breeding from one sport horse mare.

Not competent online, he wanted to complete a paper registration for his foal and pay via the phone or by cheque. “Like a lot of people, I was trying to get through multiple times on the phone, getting from 13th to 10th in the queue was taking half an hour. One day a few weeks ago, I got in at number six in the queue, and when I got to number two, I was cut off after 40 minutes waiting. I wrote a letter of complaint, but my letter hasn’t been acknowledged.”

After visiting the Horse Sport Ireland stand at the National Ploughing Championships in September, a “very helpful” member of staff helped him do the registration and, eventually, after posting a cheque to Horse Sport Ireland, the foal kit arrived last week.

“It’s only a marking sheet. Why don’t they have a HSI marking sheet with vets to cut out this step, like what Weatherbys do?” Hogan said.

“I lost the sale of the foal last year, a lovely Irish Draught colt. I got €500 less for him around November and it was definitely six months later into 2024 when I got the passport. I am just one guy with a Draught foal, but imagine the people who have a foal of the value of €10,000 or €12,000, or more. I don’t know how they are dealing with it. It’s gone from bad to worse.”

Among Hogan’s home-bred horses is the eight-year-old three-star event horse Brookfield William (Mermus R x Limmerick), currently ridden by British rider Tom Jackson.

As of this month, the cost of foal passport registration with DNA pedigree recorded has increased to €172.20 (from €147.60 pre-September). That signals a 76% hike from the pre-September price of 2023 (€98). Foal registration to include naming has increased to €184.50.