Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

It has been a good discussion. All the witnesses today have helped to make it so.

Senator Frank Feighan suggested a feature film might be made about this in the long run. I wondered what it might be called. I resist the temptation to suggest the same name as a series of famous films by Francis Ford Coppola. I believe there was a movie in the 1980s called "Blame It On Rio". I personally believe the best name might be "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly".

Mr. Kieran Mulvey said he had been given to understand, both by departmental officials and the Minister in situ in 2009, that Sport Ireland was to smooth things and that there were to be no rows with the OCI. That indicates strongly and clearly to me that that Government and I suspect other Governments also have been part of the problem. A row with the OCI was needed. It was an open secret that it was being run as an autocracy. What we saw with the ticket issue in Rio de Janeiro was more or less inevitable at a certain point when there was a lack of proper governance and accountability within such an important organisation. If the Government prevents a watchdog-type organisation from barking and having the necessary rows, there is no if or but about it. The Government and I suspect others in recent times were very much part of the problem, but I will park that point and move to my questions.

My first question is directed at the representatives of the OCI and concerns emails. They indicate that the very first thing that was done when the crisis broke was to secure the OCI database. Some €312,000 has just been spent on the Moran inquiry report, in which there is quite a lot of material. Some 80%, 85% or 90% of the good stuff is in the emails. It is the X-factor. Could we have saved ourselves €300,000, having secured the database, by handing the information over to the relevant authorities such that we would not have needed the report for anything other than that extra 10% or 15%, which is not critical?

My second question relates to the deal done with THG for the Olympic Games up to 2026. Is the OCI in a position to indicate the value of that arrangement, or an estimated or approximate value? What is it worth to THG? What is its worth overall?

My next question is specifically for Ms Sarah Keane. She said the copy of the deal which she had received from THG was not in her hands until recently. She mentioned July which is a long month. There is a difference between receiving the information on 1 and 31 July. When precisely did she receive it?

Did she share this information with the Minister and, if so, when precisely did she first do so?

The Olympic Council of Ireland's submission raises interesting points about the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games in 2018. According to press reports, there is a ticketing arrangement, deal or contract in place which is close to being legally watertight. The organising committee of the PyeongChang games has made it clear that it will not provide THG with tickets. If that is the case, what will happen to the tickets? Where will they go?

The report also states the organising committee of the games has advised that it will support the Olympic Council of Ireland in its ticketing arrangements, which is a reference to alternative ticketing arrangements. It appears, therefore, that the rough outline of an alternative approach is in place. Notwithstanding the legal deal in place, the organising committee will not release tickets to THG and is prepared to make alternative ticketing arrangements with the Olympic Council of Ireland. While the OCI may argue that Ireland will only have between five and ten athletes at the PyeongChang games, it strikes me that there is not a fundamental difference between providing tickets for between 500 and 1,000 athletes and providing them for between five and ten athletes. The basic principle that applies is that if it is illegal and breaks contract law to do so for between five and ten athletes, it would be illegal and break contract law to do so for between 500 and 1,000 athletes. While I accept that the OCI is legally constrained in this issue and must discuss it at its board, is Ms Keane in a position to give the committee further information on the emerging potential arrangement and whether it is a potential solution to the bind in which, through no fault of its own, the OCI finds itself?

On the State funding allocated to the Olympic Council of Ireland by Sport Ireland, the Minister indicated yesterday that State funding to the OCI was not a runner until such time as the ticketing dea issuel had been resolved or the deal overthrown. He appeared to soften or shift his position somewhat today when he stated the governance policies must be fully implemented and that he would not like to make this an absolute requirement. This appears to give him some wriggle room in the matter. What is the OCI's position on the State funding it receives from Sport Ireland and the conditions that would need to be met before such funding could be released?

The Minister spoke about State funding, but this funding is not provided directly. Instead, it is allocated to Sport Ireland which may subsequently provide funding for the Olympic Council of Ireland. Does the Minister or Sport Ireland have the final say in the matter? If there were to be a disagreement between Sport Ireland and the Minister on the release of funding to the OCI, how would it be resolved? It would be helpful if Sport Ireland could clarify the position in that regard.