Concern over selection of Horse Ireland chief
SERIOUS concerns have been expressed by the Irish show-jumping community over the appointment process to appoint the new head of Horse Sport Ireland.
Worries are growing over the absence of any declared interview process prior to the selection of the new chairperson by Sports Minister Shane Ross and Agriculture Minister Michael Creed.
Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) deals with the show-jumping and three-day eventing wing of the Irish horse industry and the chairperson’s fee is €12,600, plus travel and subsistence.
The recently-advertised post stated an assessment panel would be convened by the departments of Agriculture and Transport, Tourism and Sport to decide on the new chairperson by ‘the consideration of the written applications via a meeting or conference call and referee checks or by any other selection method deemed appropriate’.
Industry sources within the industry are astonished over the absence of an independent body or interview process for the key post.
One senior figure warned: ‘A chairman could be chosen by the toss of a coin or without ever undergoing an interview or being obliged to meet anybody relevant.
‘We’re also concerned over how Minister Creed on his own makes the appointments.’
Another said: ‘The two ministers have taken control of the process, from specifications to appointing the assessment panel, to the method of selection of a list of suitable applicants from whom Minister Creed will appoint the chairman.’