Kildare woman is new chair of Horse Sport Ireland
Minister for agriculture Martin Heydon with the chair of the board of Horse Sport Ireland Dr Pamela Byrne
A RATHANGAN-based breeder has been appointed as chair of the board of Horse Sport Ireland (HSI).
Dr Pamela Byrne breeds Irish draught horses at Coolestown Stud with her husband Pierre, and is more than qualified, having got a BSc in Zoology (1994), an MSc in Aquatic Resource Management (1996), and her PhD in Estuarine Toxicology (1999).
The minister for agriculture, food and the marine Martin Heydon last week agreed with colleagues Patrick O’Donovan TD and Charlie McConalogue TD on the appointment of Dr Byrne as chair of HSI.
“Dr Byrne has served as interim chair of HSI in recent months, having succeeded Mr Michael Dowling, and I am delighted to announce her appointment in a permanent capacity,” said minister Heydon.
“Since assuming her role on the board of HSI in October 2024, and more recently in her position as interim chair, Dr Byrne has demonstrated her expertise and a clear commitment to HSI and the sport horse industry in general.”
The HSI constitution provides that the term of office of the chair and other directors shall be three years from date of appointment, with directors eligible to serve a maximum of two terms.
Dr Byrne was the CEO of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland from March 2015 to March 2025. During her tenure as CEO, she was the vice-chair of the European Food Safety Authority management board and the co-founder of global International Heads of Food Safety organisations. She is also the vice-president of the Global Food Regulatory Science Society.
Along with her initial qualifications, she has also completed executive education programs at the Harvard Kennedy School and the London School of Economics.
In addition to her professional roles, Dr Byrne has significant governance experience, serving on several boards and committees, including chair of the board of the Irish Management Institute, chair of the Governance Committee of the Centre of Scientific Excellence for the Microbiome in UCC, and is an adjunct full professor at University College Dublin.
She was also chair of the board of the Irish Management Institute and a member of the board of the Institute of Public Administration.
Unsurprisingly, Pamela also has had a keen interest in horses all her life, having competed in eventing, dressage and showing competitions.
