Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Sport Ireland will appear before this committee. In an Olympic year, why would an organisation be paid in October when it needs funding in the run-up to the Olympics? We need to ask Sport Ireland why it is not making the sensible decision in that regard. Athletes who have qualified for the Olympics should be peaking in the run-up to the games. We need to establish why Sport Ireland does not front-load the money in Olympic years for people who qualify for the Olympics and appear out of nowhere; although I know nobody really appears out of nowhere when qualifying for the Olympics. We seek solutions. If the witnesses identify the problems and solutions, we would like to propose those to Sport Ireland, including asking the Minister to bring forward its budget. The money will still have to be spent and allocated but there is no point in giving Rowing Ireland money between October and December when the Olympics is now another three and a half years away. We wanted the witnesses to raise those issues and the practical day-to-day problems with rent and accommodation, and a person having to wait for seven months for the money when he or she is a qualifier. If the witnesses come up with any other solutions between now and 16 October, please bring them to us and we will be able to raise them with Sport Ireland and the Minister.