Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I grew up playing Gaelic football and soccer. Most of the witnesses represent individual sports. If I were starting my life again, I would probably choose an individual sport, not that I would be any good. It was not something we were familiar with but the sporting bodies have made people familiar with individual sports today. I cannot commend enough the work being done across the island. I am enthusiastic about the all-island approach. Even as between Ireland and the UK, sport unites us. It has done so much. Sporting bodies have been ahead of the political curve in the work they have done. That must be recorded. I thank the bodies for the work they have done and the sacrifices they have made. When I was involved in football organisations, we took abuse. We take abuse in politics too, but we get well paid for it.

Various funding is available for the island of Ireland. What are we doing to ensure that sporting organisations are getting the most from that funding? Lotto grants from Ireland and the UK are available, and I like to see Ireland getting a bigger bang for its buck. What exactly is being done to maximise that funding?