Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was not involved in previous bids but even the process of bidding requires much work involving various bodies. It is not just the Department, but also Tourism Ireland. It could involve the Garda, local authorities or the National Transport Authority. It is a multi-agency approach and the questions you get asked when bidding for these events encompass all those things. How do people get to the game? How is it secured? Those things are important. The more of them we do in practice, the more experienced we get as a Department and as a system in how to host them. We get things in place that carry through for a future event. Each time there is positive learning which feeds into our policy. They bring benefit or we would not host or pay for them. There are some examples members will have read about in the media where the previous Government decided not to proceed because the cost-benefit analysis did not stack up. We will agree to host some and not agree to host others. If a tourism benefit, a positive cost-benefit analysis for the country, increased participation and help for various sports can be shown, we have an open door to talk to people. That will be easier for the Department and those seeking to host the event, whether sporting bodies or international organisations, with that policy document in place.