John O'Mahony (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank each of the governing bodies who have come in as well as Sport Ireland and the Federation of Irish Sport. I was one of those who proposed this would happen. I come from a background of involvement in the majority sports of Gaelic games and so on, but there is a huge need for support as the economy recovers. I realise the problems faced by the sports council in that they cannot spread funding so thinly that everyone gets something because then nobody gets enough. One also has the four-year cycle of the Olympics and everything else which needs support. The facility we have provided everyone with today is the opportunity to highlight the issues. As Richard said, we need to come up with solutions at governing body level, Government level and Sport Ireland level. I was glad to hear that the major sports of soccer, rugby and Gaelic have massive participation. It is not a matter of taking from them, rather it is a matter of supporting sport. I was amazed to hear rowing athletes are training for the Olympics not only after bringing pride to Ireland but having been so entertaining in the aftermath. The hands of Sport Ireland are tied in terms of what they get from the Minister. Everybody is part of the solution. We have to get to that solution one way or the other because a small amount of extra investment would make a huge contribution to what the witnesses do, often in a completely voluntary capacity. I have heard solutions before involving tax breaks for those who contribute to philanthropy or otherwise. Perhaps that could be expanded. A betting tax could produce a lot of money for these bodies. It is not minority sports, rather it is sports which do not have the same ability as others to raise money.

Reference was made to grants for bodies which are not in line with the governing body. Tennis Ireland jumped out there with 25 unaffiliated clubs. Can something be outlined on that?

Does the list of funded sports ever change? Have sports been added or removed? I am conscious in my capacity as a political representative that where people applied to represent Ireland at billiards and their parents sought funding, none was there. Even if the governing body is not funded, there should be some contingency fund where somebody is representing the country. That would allow people to proceed, whatever their socio-economic background.

As someone who has been involved in sport all my life, I know it gives people self-esteem they might not be able to get in other areas, whether academically or otherwise. The witnesses represent governing bodies which are giving the youth of Ireland that self-esteem. If we need to confront Ministers to help, we have a responsibility to do it. The points about tennis and the list of sports may be on a website but I would be interested to know if things have changed over the years.