One of the immediate benefits of funding provided under the National Development Plan will be the establishment of Ireland's first farriers' school, in Kildare.
Turning the first sod for the foundation of the building at the Racing Academy and Centre for Education (RACE), the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, said farriery was a critical support service for the horse industry.
"The availability of quality farriery is essential to the production of marketable, quality horses," said Mr Walsh.
"Despite that there has been no formal farrier training course available in this country since the demise of Bord na gCapall back in 1987," he continued.
He said money had been provided for the project two years ago but planning permission difficulties had caused the postponement of the school.
"I am delighted that the Irish Master Farriers Association and RACE have joined together to run this school, which will be invaluable in the future." Announcing a £9 million package to support equine initiatives in the sport horse area, the Minister said it would support existing grant schemes.
It would be additional to the £13 million already provided for housing, handling facilities and other alternative enterprises in rural Ireland. The £9 million, he said, would provide even greater focus on infrastructural supports, services, quality production and effective marketing.
The schemes included grants for the purchase of quality stallions, a stallion performance-testing programme and a quality mare selection scheme. He added that aid would also be available for stud-book development, blood-typing, DNA testing and the genetic indexing project. Support, he said, would continue for the International Equine Institute, University of Limerick, which provides courses for those involved in breeding and selling.
Mr Walsh also praised the work of RACE, which he said had trained more than 500 apprentice jockeys since 1973 who had gone on to make their mark internationally.