Mr. John Treacy:

I will deal briefly with international recognition for Irish athletics. We are aware that a delegation appeared before the committee in recent weeks under the banner of "Friends of Irish Athletics". I would have been aware of this group some years ago. However neither Sport Ireland nor the then Irish Sports Council has received correspondence from this group in many years.

Sport Ireland recognises Athletics Ireland as the independent, autonomous national governing body, NGB, for the sport of athletics in Ireland. Athletics Ireland is affiliated to the IAAF, which is the world governing body for the sport. Sport Ireland provides funding to Athletics Ireland to support its programme of activity across the pillars of participation, performance and high performance. The IAAF constitution states that "the jurisdiction of members shall be limited to the political boundaries of the Country they represent". This ruling was passed by the members at the IAAF Congress in 1934. That rule has remained unchanged in the intervening years. Of more than 60 national governing bodies of sport, 47 exist on an all-island basis. Sport Ireland works closely with all national governing bodies of sport on an all-island basis and we work very closely with Sport Northern Ireland as well.

Member federations of the IAAF must abide by the constitution of the IAAF. The rules of the IAAF supersede all other federation rules. Member federations must clearly state this in their constitutions. Under international relationships, an article of the Athletics Ireland constitution states, "The association recognises, accepts, applies, observes and abides by the current Constitution, rules and regulations of the IAAF as well as by any future amendments."

Since the establishment of Athletics Ireland in 1999, extraordinary progress has been made in the day-to-day organisation of the sport on the island of Ireland. It can be unequivocally stated that the current relationships between Athletics Ireland-Athletics Northern Ireland, ANI, and the Ulster Athletic Council, UAC, are the best in the history of the sport. These relationships are enshrined in a memorandum of understanding, MOU, between the three bodies. There is also a separate operational document between Athletics Northern Ireland and the Ulster Athletic Council. A liaison committee of equal representation from the three bodies reviews the MOU regularly. This MOU has also been formally approved by the IAAF. The primary objective of optimising all the athletic resources on the island is working with considerable success.

As evidenced by athletics teams comprising athletes from North and South, a pathway exists whereby athletes may represent Ireland in international events, including European, world and Olympic games. Sport Ireland and Athletics Ireland are not aware of any current or recent athletes who have expressed dissatisfaction with the current arrangements in relation to the international recognition of Irish athletes.