Mr. John Treacy:

With regard to alcohol sponsorship, a number of other issues need to be examined, including pricing and availability of alcohol and promotion of alcohol in colleges where alcohol companies give money away. These are critical issues that need to be examined. There needs to be consultation with sporting organisation on drinks sponsorship. If €30 million is taken out of the sports budget, given our budget is €42 million, it will have a major impact on some sports. All of us have been spoiled watching all our great rugby players playing for Irish clubs.

If this money is taken out of the Irish system we will not be able to compete to keep the players in Ireland. This would be a factor and it would have an impact. These issues need to be discussed and debated and we need to look at what the consequences of this action would be.