DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD
Quality Stallion Purchase Incentive Scheme
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
PART I
1.
General
(i)
The aim of this scheme is to encourage the purchase and widespread use of good quality
stallions of the breeds referred to in PART II for breeding in the non-thoroughbred horse
sector. The scheme is primarily for farmers and/or rural dwellers.
(ii)
The Scheme shall be operative from 2 February 2001 and unless suspended or closed in the
meantime, it shall in any event cease on 31 December 2006.
(iii) The object of the Scheme is to contribute to the protection and improvement of agricultural
incomes and the improvement of living, working and production conditions on farms and in
rural areas generally.
(iv)
The Scheme is funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 20002006.
2.
Area of Application
The Scheme shall apply in all parts of the State.
3.
Definitions
For the purposes of this Scheme: -
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Date Approved: 3rd June 2003
“the Minister” shall mean, unless otherwise stated, the Minister for Agriculture and Food;
“approved” shall mean either approved by the Minister or an official authorised to act on his
behalf;
“the IHR” shall mean the Irish Horse Register which is maintained by the Irish Horse Board Cooperative Society;
“the Department” shall mean the Department of Agriculture and Food.
PART II
1.
Eligible Applicants
Only applicants who are deemed by the Minister to have the necessary expertise, resources and
facilities to successfully manage a stallion will be considered for aid under this Scheme.
For the purpose of the scheme the Department will interview all applicants and inspect their
stabling and other facilities. The applicants will be required to have satisfactory knowledge and
expertise in the breeding of horses. The facilities will be required to be of a standard which is
considered by the Minister satisfactory to maintain and manage a stallion and to provide stud
services for a reasonable number of mares each season. Applicants who satisfy the above
requirements will be notified by the Department and will be given a specified period to identify a
suitable stallion for inspection for eligibility under the scheme. In all cases, the decisions of the
Minister shall be final.
In order to minimise the market distortion effects of the grant scheme the Department may limit the
number of applicants who are at the same time in the process of actively seeking stallions for
selection and purchase under the scheme.
The purpose of the scheme is to provide an incentive to purchase and use widely for breeding in the
Approved Section of the IHR quality stallions which would not otherwise be available for breeding
in the non-thoroughbred sector. Therefore only stallions of the breeds specified under paragraph 2
which have not at the date of application under this scheme already been the subject of an
application for inclusion in the Approved Section of the IHR Stud Book will be eligible.
The sub-measure will be open to both male and female applicants and to those operating jointly
owned and managed holdings. Joint ownership/leasehold title of the farm is encouraged. In cases
of joint ownership only the farm operator/manager is required to meet the relevant eligibility
criteria and, where joint management is declared, the skill and competence requirements have to be
met by one of the managers only.
2.
Eligible Stallions
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Date Approved: 3rd June 2003
For the purposes of this scheme eligible stallions are those of the Thoroughbred, Irish Draught and
Connemara breeds and those breeds referred to under “Other Breeds/Stud Books” in the annex of
the Rules and Procedures of the Irish Horse Register.
The Department will operate the scheme in conjunction with the Irish Horse Board and their
selection procedure for Stallions for the Approved Section of the IHR Stud Book. Stallions may be
inspected simultaneously for both purposes. However, only stallions of a standard above the
minimum required for inclusion in the list of Approved Stallions shall qualify for this scheme.
Where under IHR Rules a Stallion qualifies for “Approved” Stud Book status on the day of the
inspection and it satisfies the Department’s Inspector that it also reaches the standard required for
this scheme, its eligibility for grant aid may be determined at that time. However in the event that
upon inspection a stallion’s qualification for approval with the IHR is made subject to successfully
completing performance test requirements, the applicant may only be given a preliminary
acceptance for this scheme. Final approval for grant aid in such circumstances will be contingent
on the stallion achieving the “approved status” with the IHR within the timescale permitted by the
Irish Horse Board and the period of operation of this scheme.
The Minister reserves the right to impose a charge for farm visits made or private stallion
inspections carried out by his or her officials and/or nominees in connection with this scheme.
The approval or payment of premium under this scheme does not imply the acceptance by the
Minister of any responsibility as regards the soundness or suitability of the stallion.
3.
Payment for Stallions
Applicants should not make cash payments for stallions purchased under this scheme. A request
for aid will not be valid without a receipt properly certified by the vendor and a copy of the
cheque/bank draft payable to the vendor and signed by the payee and appropriately
stamped/endorsed by the financial institution concerned or a full statement from the financial
institution with supporting documentation to the satisfaction of the Department verifying the
payment of the sum involved from funds of the applicant to the vendor. Please note that
applications for grant aid in respect of stallions purchased before the date of application (i.e.
date application received by the Department) will not be entertained. The date of application
may be any date on or after 26th February 2001 on which a letter of intent to apply, followed
by a completed application form, is received by the Department or a completed application is
received, whichever is the earlier date.
4.
Retention of Stallion
The applicant shall be required to retain the Stallion for stud purposes for at least two years after
the payment of the grant and during that time shall notify to the IHR details of the mares covered
each season and supply any other relevant information requested by the IHR.
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Date Approved: 3rd June 2003
5.
Level of Aid
A premium of 40% of the purchase price subject to a maximum payment of (€12,697) £10,000
towards the cost of acquiring a quality stallion will be paid to eligible applicants, where and when
all of the Terms and Conditions of this scheme have been complied with to the satisfaction of the
Minister.
6.
How to Apply
Complete the attached application form and bank details form and return them to:
Livestock Breeding Division (Horses)
Department of Agriculture and Food
Government Building
Farnham Street
Cavan
Telephone (049) 436 8291
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Date Approved: 3rd June 2003
PART III
GENERAL CONDITIONS
1.
Right of Entry
The Minister reserves the right to arrange for the inspection at all reasonable times of any land,
premises, plant, equipment, livestock and records of participants or applicants for participation in
this Scheme.
2.
Procedure for Application for aid
Application for aid accompanied by other information considered to be necessary should be made
on the attached application form.
3.
Economic Justification for Granting Aid
Aid will at all times be subject to the condition that, in the opinion of the Minister the payment is
justified and contributes effectively to the development of the non-thoroughbred horse industry
and rural development generally. However, the approval for, or payment of aid does not imply
any endorsement or warranty by the Minister of a project’s soundness, feasibility or economic
viability or the acceptance by the Minister of any responsibility as regards the soundness of any
stallion which is the subject of such approval or payment.
4.
False Statements
If, for the purposes of obtaining aid under this Scheme, a person knowingly makes a false or
misleading statement or withholds essential information, all or such portion of the aid given or to
be given as the Minister may determine shall be refunded or withheld. The Minister reserves the
right to exclude such a person from further participation in the Programme for such period, as
he/she shall determine.
5.
Withdrawal of Aid
The Minister may withdraw approval of aid if the applicant fails to abide by the terms of the
scheme or in the event of any material change in the eligibility of the applicant or of the
applicant’s facilities which would be in conflict with the terms or the spirit of the Scheme. In such
event all or such portion of aid given or to be given as the Minister may determine shall be
refunded or withheld.
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Date Approved: 3rd June 2003
6.
Aid from Other Sources
If any contribution towards the cost of a stallion has been or may be made from public funds, other
than under this scheme, the amount of aid under this scheme may, where the Minister so
determines, be reduced accordingly. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant to advise the
Department at the time of making an application for aid under this scheme or as soon as
practicable thereafter of the details of any other application for or payment of public funds toward
the cost of purchasing a stallion which qualifies or may qualify for aid under this scheme.
7.
Review of Financial Aids
The Minister reserves the right to vary, where occasion so demands, the amount of financial aid
wherever specified in the scheme.
8.
Procedures and Conditions
The Minister reserves the right to alter from time to time the conditions attaching to and the
procedures to be followed in the operation of this scheme.
9.
Conditions of Approval
Every approval and purchase under this scheme shall be subject to conditions laid down by the
Minister, which must be complied with in full by the applicant.
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Date Approved: 3rd June 2003