Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Do the organisations see this legislation as an opportunity to strengthen the role of the local sports partnerships because sometimes I believe they are something to which lip-service is paid? The reason I am concerned about this is that they do social inclusion very well and are at the coalface. I would like to see their role strengthened in this legislation. We can have all these lovely stadiums and so on but not everybody gets to participate in them. They tend to be for winners rather than participants.

Mr. Mulvey touched on the situation in schools. Some schools have amazing facilities which can border on elitist. There may be no element of social inclusion because the gates close at 4 p.m. As Deputies, we are lobbied constantly by people who want various facilities but, in some cases, there is a cluster of schools with the most amazing facilities perhaps in a 5 km radius. Looking at what is available rather than at putting in a facility would make good economic sense. The organisations need to engage with the Department of Education and Skills in that regard because schools can be clustered in terms of the sports facilities needed.

I refer to the betting tax. I will not go into the gambling area but the greyhound and horse racing industries were mentioned. Both can be very glamorous industries and tend to make quite a bit of money. What is the organisations' opinion on the whole area of welfare? Should a percentage of the betting tax go towards the aftermath of both of these industries which can have a very ugly side as well as a very glamorous one?

In regard to the national horse sport arena, is there any collaboration with the RDS on that or do the organisations see themselves in competition with the RDS?