The Agricultural and Equestrian Eventing Centre at Punchestown is too small to hold international show jumping events, writes Liam Reid.
The controversial centre, which received nearly €15 million in State funding, was designed to attract major agricultural and equestrian events to Ireland, with nearly one third of the cost going towards stabling.
However according to the international body governing equestrian sports, Punchestown is too small for international showjumping competitions, the main equestrian sport that would be held indoors.
A spokesman for Punchestown said the centre had not been designed with international jumping events in mind. However the Department of Agriculture, in its response to the critical report by the Comptroller & Auditor General, cited the loss of the World Equestrian Games, which include showjumping, as one of the factors in the Government's decision to fund the centre.
A spokesman for the Fédération Equestre International (FEI) said the minimum space required for an international indoor jumping event would be 80 metres long by 40 metres wide. Major events would require significantly more space, he said. Punchestown's centre is 79.08 metres in length and 62.39 metres wide. Temporary seating for a jumping event would reduce the area available for jumping further.
The FEI spokesman said neither the Irish authorities nor Punchestown had consulted the federation on dimensions to make it suitable for holding international equestrian events. In September, Punchestown played host to the European Equestrian Eventing championships, which included jumping as an event. The jumping was held outdoors.
At yesterday's Estimates briefings, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, said 25,000 people were involved in the equine industry, and nobody could say such a centre was not needed. "No one is going to line their pockets from this," he said.
However, Fianna Fáil colleagues said there were further questions to be answered regarding the centre.
Mr John McGuinness, vice- chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said members were due to visit and inspect the centre's facilities next Wednesday. "I have questions surrounding the final size of the centre, which were reduced from the original plans," he said. "Further clarification is needed. We didn't sign off on it, and we intend to put our questions directly to the board of Punchestown this Wednesday."