Mr. Kieran Mulvey:

I can assure the Deputy that all the sporting organisations, big and large, look for more money than they get. They are very strong in their advocacy around that. They do it through their submissions to Sport Ireland, and our submission to the Government, but they also go in and meet the Ministers. That is the way things are done. When Sport Ireland went to meet the Ministers on this issue we also had a good hearing with the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach, as a former Minister for sport. We also met members of the Opposition who gave us a good hearing. I felt for the first time that we were beginning to make substantive inroads in increasing funds for sports all round. Sports organisations, particularly those involved in the main field sports, are great advocates for their sport but they have a lot of clout outside Sport Ireland as well.