Mr. Pat Hickey:

To answer Deputy Dooley's questions on what the committee can do, I concur with my colleague, Mr. Mulvey. It is fantastic for us to have people like the Chairman and Senator Coghlan, who knows his sport inside out, on the committee who can help in every way behind the scenes. We have a very good record in general with all politicians and the previous Minister with responsibility for sport, Mr. John O'Donoghue, was excellent, as are the current Minister and Minister of State. We only have a problem every now and again when a Minister comes along who does not respect independent and democratically elected bodies which are separate from the Ministry. They were the old days. Mr. John O'Donoghue was a superb Minister with responsibility for sport and the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, are doing a superb job and have helped us in a thorough way in the preparation for London. It was incredible. Two weeks ago in Brussels I had the great honour of being at a luncheon with the Irish Presidency.

With regard to alcohol, I agree with what Mr. Mulvey and Mr. Treacy stated. The committee may not know the International Olympic Committee is the only sports organisation in the world which does not have an alcohol sponsor. We do not take wine, beer or hard liquor. Not one sponsor at any Olympic Games has anything to do with alcohol.

I wish to make a personal remark which is important for the politicians here. It was an absolute disgrace to read a report last week of an international multinational company, Diageo, attacking the Irish Government and the Irish State regarding how it should conduct its business and investment. It is not the role of a multinational to direct elected Members of Dáil Éireann and tell them what to do. This multinational has no interest whatsoever in Ireland, except that it happens to have a product beginning with "G" which is promoted in Irish pubs throughout the world to get bigger profits. The Government should not accept this type of carry on from a multinational.