Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 18 November 2020
Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht
Key Priorities for Sport Ireland and Impact of Covid-19 on Sports Sector: Sport Ireland
Mr. Kieran Mulvey:
I am conscious of the reprimand you gave me earlier, Chairman. We support any initiative that will bring people out under the umbrella of any engagement in sport within the NPHET and Government guidelines. The light-up campaign is one of those. We believe the sports facilities, within the normal security arrangements, would allow for people to utilise them for socially-distanced walking.
During the period of austerity, there was an extraordinary increase in the number of people walking and cycling. We noticed that again now everywhere cycle tracks have been built. Further funding is also required for walking tracks.
Wearing my other hat, in terms of employment law and employment relations, remote working will totally change our whole approach to working and utilising the commute time that used to exist previously constructively. We are beginning to see that already with families that are cycling and walking. There has been a remarkable increase in sea swimming recently. In a sense, we are beginning to utilise our natural assets. It will be important to put more money into facilities for these pursuits.
To some degree, TV sport has given some relief to people's well-being, home life and activity. That is important because sport is so central. Perhaps Mr. Treacy wishes to add something.
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