Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. I compliment them on the work they did during Covid-19 to keep the show on the road. It was a big task and I saw it directly. I say "Well done" to them on that.

My colleague went into the area I wanted to kick off on, which is the whole regulatory aspect of this. There is a misconception of what Sport Ireland does. I think they need to dial it up as regards being a development agency and not regulator. I apologise that I have less time than my colleague. The Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, ODCE, and the Charities Regulator do the work on the regulatory side. Sport Ireland does the development. There is an overlap because Sport Ireland is the chief funder. There is a need, in my opinion, to change the role of Sport Ireland. I get what Dr. May said about ensuring there would not be a conflict as regards having relationships, developing sports etc. and being the "big bad regulator", for want of a better phrase. However, there is a no man's land where we have seen issues in relation to a whole range of organisations. In such circumstances, Sport Ireland is seen as a regulator when it is not one. I would like to direct this question to Mr. Foley. How can we deal with that issue into the future? I believe that Sport Ireland's role has to extend, while not necessarily being a regulator in the truest sense of the word. Given that Sport Ireland is the chief funder of many organisations, it has to expand in some way. There is huge confusion out there as regards Sport Ireland's role.