Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Andrews for joining us today. It has come to my contribution. I thank the witnesses very much and most sincerely for their presentations. I hope they feel they have got plenty of time to expand on the points made in their presentations. I have a couple of questions with which I would like to begin.

First, I was very struck by Ms O'Rourke's opening statement in which she stated that in 2007, she received 24% funding by Sport Ireland compared with just 9% in 2020 despite membership having risen by 32% in the same period. Will she expand upon that? Will she provide us with any sort of information on any engagement she has had with Sport Ireland on core funding and what response she has received? Will she expand upon that point to give us an insight on why that is? It seems a very surprising that their funding would drop.

Again, I thank Ms McNulty for acknowledging Cavan's win of the Nancy Murray Cup and, of course, their premiere final in 2020, and her acknowledgement of our star, Róisín O'Keeffe, from Lacken Camogie Club. I believe the county camogie and ladies' football teams are still waiting on championship dates while the men's have already been set. Will Ms McNulty comment on or give us any insight into that? Also, are the minor championship girls going to get their opportunity to play this year? I believe that will be the case for the boys.

I really want to make the observation that one thing I have not heard mentioned today is the local sports partnerships within our local authorities. I know, particularly in counties Cavan and Monaghan, they have been wonderful in terms of initiatives and encouraging and engaging the participation of women of all ages in sport, from the recreational to perhaps the more competitive. I acknowledge the work of both local authorities and the local sports partnership. I believe they are working with Sport Ireland - somebody might like to comment on this - in terms of promoting women in sports through what I believe is called the Her Sport initiative. Perhaps the witnesses know something about that on which they can expand.

I certainly agree with Ms O'Connor's comment that a life-work campaign rather than a work-life campaign makes far more sense and creates more balance in our lives. A campaign like that would have huge benefits, not just for women's participation but also for mental health. Coming out of Covid-19, it is something we should seriously consider. I congratulate Ms O'Connor on leading the charge in the 20x20 campaign. Can she give us any bullet points on that or have any main lessons been learned on that? She might like to make some comments on those.

We are coming near the end of the presentations today. In terms of Ms Begley's organisation, are there any final comments or observations she would like to make? That is my line of questioning. I will begin with Ms O'Rourke if that is okay.