Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests. I acknowledge their continued important work for the sport sector in Ireland. I emphasise my support for our women rugby players. I believe that the issues they have raised need to be given full consideration by all the appropriate stakeholders. I am quite concerned by what I have read and I believe that the matters raised need to be taken very seriously. They deserve our support.

As for the role of schools, this is not directed at anyone in particular, but could more be done, do the witnesses think, at primary level and secondary level to try to help with our messaging and participation? An area that does not get enough focus, maybe, outside of high performance is the transition into third level. We often talk about the transition from primary to secondary in the teenage years, but the transition into third level probably warrants further scrutiny and action. Could we discuss that and see if there is something we could do to improve the overall situation with a focus on how we can improve participation levels at third level?