Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their interesting presentations. The questions and answers that followed have been interesting and enlightening.

I have personally benefited hugely from the LGFA and the Camogie Association because I have two young daughters and they have gone through the system, including the Cumann na mBunscoil competition in schools. They played for Ballinteer St John's GAA club and attended Coláiste Íosagáin where they participated in the camogie schools finals, which was great. They were part of the Dublin camogie development squad and they were part of the Dublin minors for a short period. Now, they are in Holland where Mary Gavin is looking after them in Den Haag GAA club. Any investment in camogie or any sport is fantastic and is repaid fivefold.

I noticed that as my daughters progressed with their sports only two of their mentors were female and one of their female mentors joined the football club, which was great. However, all the rest of the mentors were men. I am not disparaging anything because everyone was great to my children, including Mr. Paul Beecher and Mr. Pat Martin who, sadly, passed away not too long ago. When I watch games I see very few women mentors. Have the organisations present looked at attracting more women mentors? I ask because when one cannot see it then one cannot be it.

I think Ms Begley mentioned the disparity in the funding of men's and women's games. Everybody has said that the disparity is completely unacceptable. Ms McNulty, in her presentation, called for the establishment of a task force and I agree. I also believe that we must prioritise an increase in funding for ladies' sports, particularly for the LGFA and the Camogie Association.

As Deputy Mythen alluded to, I remember the times when women would be pushed off their pitch when the men arrived. The men also get a choice of times and dates while the girls had to play on a Friday night, for example. We must change the unfairness and inequality and there is quite a while to go.

In terms of mentoring, have the organisations considered ways to increase the number of women mentors for ladies' teams? I thank the witnesses for their patience.