AQW 10547/22-27
Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim
Tabled Date: 22/04/2024
Answered On Date: 10/05/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail any plans he has to introduce an equine strategy.
Answer:
Following the commissioning of consultants by the Department in 2018 to review the equine industry in Northern Ireland (NI), a report was published in June 2019, which made a number of recommendations and set out themes for further consideration by government and wider industry. A cross-governmental steering group was set up in early 2020 to explore what action might be taken. This included a focus on the development of an Equine Strategy for NI. The steering group produced a draft vision statement for a future Equine Strategy for consideration by returning ministers and was involved in progressing a number of actions linked to the proposed Strategy. My Department’s College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) completed an equine training and skills gap analysis to ascertain the current educational provision for those working or wanting to work in the equine industry and identify the training gaps. The Department of Health completed a number of equine assisted therapy and learning (EATL) pilots with more planned, subject to funding availability. Additionally, Outdoor Recreation NI was commissioned to scope out the existing riding trails in the pilot area of the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and conduct a gap analysis which resulted in a report on the matter. Northern Ireland Departments are, however, currently working to deliver statutory obligations within an extremely difficult public expenditure environment. Therefore, given these resource pressures, it is not possible to progress additional work on an equine strategy in the immediate future. The matter will however remain under review as resources may permit in time ahead.
|