Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am very conscious that at the end of this process we will be producing a report on inclusion in sport. Our recommendations are in a sense how the State can help to enhance inclusion in sports. Obviously, each of the NGBs has its own way of doing it internally but this focuses on the ask from the State. Will Ms O'Connor, on behalf of the Federation of Irish Sport, and each of the NGBs, talk about what they think the State could best do to support their efforts to promote inclusion? In other words, what recommendation would they like to see in the report? Being conscious of time, I ask them to limit it to one recommendation. To show how effective it is - Senator Cassells acknowledged this - Ms O'Connor made a significant impact into our report around tackling abuse within sport and it formed a major part of that. If the representatives were to see one line of a recommendation included, what would that be?

I am always very conscious that when we talk about questions of inclusion, we often tend to highlight the incidences of exclusion. It is important to say and to acknowledge that there is tremendous work being done by all of the sporting organisations; not just those before the committee today, but indeed by many other national governing bodies. I even think of my own local cricket club, Gorey Cricket Club, which has done huge amounts of work. There are members not just from Ireland and other European countries but people from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, even people from Afghanistan who have been taking part and getting involved. Obviously, in a lot of those countries, cricket is not a sport; it is a religion. They are very actively involved. If the NGBs could illustrate some of our good case studies from local clubs or organisations which they think could be mainstreamed with State support as was mentioned earlier, it would be welcome.

I will begin with Ms O'Connor. She has been successful in influencing our reports before. What does she think the committee's top recommendations should be?