Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all the witnesses. I do not want to go over old ground because the witnesses have answered most of the questions succinctly. We all know the extraordinary power of sport and how it heals wounds and brings people together in the best and worst of times. We have an extraordinary ability in Ireland to celebrate success. I think of the Taoiseach of the time going out to hug Stephen Roche on the Avenue des Champs-Élyséesand the Jack Charlton homecomings despite coming third or fourth so we love success and I think we need more success. I was chairman of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. We see how under the Good Friday Agreement, people in Northern Ireland can choose Irish or British citizenship. It is an international Agreement agreed by the British and Irish Governments and a multi-party agreement in Northern Ireland. There is a lot of parity of esteem under the Good Friday Agreement. It is not just a one-way street but should be a two-way street. I mention this because I think we should look at the Irish team participating in the Commonwealth Games. There are already moves under way so that an Irish hockey team and possibly a rugby sevens can participate in the next Commonwealth Games.

We should look at making many of our facilities such as the Sport Ireland campus available for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games in Northern Ireland. Sport Ireland has a national rowing centre at Lough Rynn. These are things we need. Is Sport Ireland looking at these aspects? I remember the huge divisions when the Republic of Ireland went to play in Northern Ireland in 1993. What happened in France involving Northern Ireland supporters and Republic of Ireland supporters last year was incredible. This is something we need to build on. It may not come from the political side because sometimes politicians are behind the curve but I see it on the ground and I think we need to look at this. People walk around with Manchester United, Celtic and Liverpool jerseys. We now need to look at participation in the Commonwealth Games. I understand that various organisations will resist it but what is the view from a sporting and logistics perspective? It probably need sextra funding. What is the view in terms of the good it could do from an all-Ireland perspective because Gaelic games, cricket, hockey, rowing, rugby, basketball, golf and many other sports operate on an all-Ireland basis? What are the witnesses' views on this observation?