A NEW equine club has been officially opened by the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, and South Dublin County Council Mayor, Cllr Guss O’Connell, in Clondalkin.
The new state-of-the-art Clondalkin Equine Club cost €500,000 and was jointly financed by the Government and South Dublin County Council. It has an initial capacity to provide 20 local horse owners with stable facilities for their horses.
“Clondalkin Equine Club will provide support to young people and adults to keep horses in an urban environment,” said Gino Kenny, local People Before Profit TD and a founding member of the club.
“Urban horse ownership is a tradition that lives on, but having horses in the housing estates is not ideal so the club is a very positive development.”
Cllr Kenny revealed that in 2016, a total of 600 horses were impounded by the four local authorities in Dublin with 30 per cent of that number in South Dublin.
Since 2012 a total of 1,730 horses have been impounded by South Dublin County Council at a cost to the council of over €912,000 in four years.
Ninety per cent of all horses impounded by local authorities are euthanized with only 10 per cent returned to their owners.
Horse owners at Clondalkin Equine Club will pay a nominal fee of €15 per week and this will cover maintenance costs and food for the horses.
So far 20 horse owners have been picked to avail of the facilities at the club.
Each of them has completed a course in horse management at Fettercairn Youth Horse Project in Tallaght, with others expected to sit the exams in the next two weeks.
Another 10 horse owners will move into the facilities at Clondalkin Equine Club after the official opening.
A further 10 will be arriving over the course of the next six weeks.
“Dolcain Project, a community-based initiative in Clondalkin was extremely helpful in setting up the club,” he added.
“Michelle Kearns, a community worker, provided guidance to the club and was very helpful in assisting us in completing the necessary documentation.”
The Dublin Mid-West TD added: “There are a lot of negative equine stories out there but this is a positive story for a change.
“For me, personally, this is the end of a lifelong endeavour but for the local community here in Clondalkin, it will be the beginning of a lifetime of enjoyment for many people.”