Ms Sinéad McNulty:

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as ucht an cuireadh go dtí an cruinniú seo inniu. Táim lánsásta an t-ábhar seo a chur chun cinn i dTithe an Oireachtais.

I thank the committee for the opportunity to meet this evening. It is positive to see the issues relating to women’s sport being considered by this Oireachtas committee. I welcome the attention and priority that women’s sport has been given by the Government over recent years in the national sports policy, the women in sport policy, as well as associated leadership funding and initiatives through Sport Ireland. These are all positive steps in the right direction.

I come with the perspective as CEO of the Camogie Association, the national and international governing body for camogie since 1904. It has 100,000 members across the world. The association wants more people playing camogie more often and in more places in Ireland and internationally. Yet it is more than that. It is about creating a positive experience, providing high-quality coaching, high-standard facilities, high-quality officials and excellent volunteers. All these elements, all of the time, will ensure that girls have a positive camogie experience. If one aspect fails, the risk is that we lose that player perhaps forever.