Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives for their presentation. There is a parallel between the hearings we held in recent weeks on the Internet and the hearing today. Some people want to believe that it is possible to close down the Internet or to somehow produce some sort of stick or police force over the Internet. In the same way some people believe naively that by removing a connection between one industry and a sporting organisation we can somehow solve a social ill. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have never seen a 13 year old or 14 year old going to or coming from hurling, football, rugby or soccer training with a naggin of vodka in his hand, but one might find him at a disused railway line or an old industrial estate up to absolutely nothing save for what he should not be up to with a naggin of vodka or, worse, perhaps a couple of flagons of cider.

My general question is whether it is appropriate for a person to push a shopping trolley out the front of a supermarket laden with alcohol and no one asks a question about it, or is it appropriate that a local GAA club runs a table quiz in the local parish pub and gets the publican to provide the sandwiches? That is effectively a sponsorship but it could be banned in future. I speak as someone whose brother is a publican and who supports all codes in Deputy Harrington's constituency in west Cork. I know from speaking to him that whether it is a table quiz, a 1980s night, a darts tournament or even if it is providing glasses or bunting for some sporting events, all of this is up on the table and people should be very careful. It is not simply about the Heineken Cup or the Guinness hurling championship; the under-18 or under-16 blitz could be affected inadvertently and I am concerned about that.

I realise there is commercial sensitivity with regard to the amounts but it is important to get a ballpark figure for the amounts of money at issue nationally. Deputy Phelan is perfectly correct to ask whether there is an alternative. I know from a Government point of view that it is simply not a runner. As Mr. Delaney pointed out, the overall amount has halved during the past four or five years when one takes into consideration VAT and so on. If we are to pretend that we can maintain an international semblance of sport for the IRFU, the GAA, through the international matches with the Australians, and the FAI and have codes at home at the same time, then we need to examine this in detail.

If we are going to pretend that we can maintain an international sporting presence for the IRFU and the GAA, through the latter's international matches with the Australians, and through the FAI, while at the same time having codes at home, we need to study in detail how much is involved and where. I do not know any industry that can afford to stump up the type of money that is being spoken about here in a diminishing market. We need to tread very carefully. The facilities provided by the codes in my own county, whether at parish, county or provincial level, have massive debts which somebody has to service. Part of the servicing involves bringing people in to see a game or match and that requires a sponsor. Without a sponsor the game or tournament cannot go ahead. These are implications that people need to consider carefully. I understand the commercial sensitivity but it would do us a great favour if we knew the ballpark figure.