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

On the hosting of a match, from time to time the Government gives financial support to the hosting of particular matches or events. This year the Europa League final is on in Dublin and there is substantial Government support for that match and Dublin City Council is supporting it too. That has of course been in the planning for some time. The budget we have this year is the same as last year, but that reflects the spending that will happen on a certain number of events, including the Europa League final, preparation for the Ryder Cup and other expenditures as well. When we sought the budget for this year there was no other major event that was jumping out at us. The hosting of a match and the hosting of a Europa League final does not create the demand on resources that say, the Ryder Cup does or the Euros take. That is always open to consideration, as we always say. Any major event we support goes through the same rigorous cost-benefit analysis. The Chair outlined most of it. It is essentially about bed nights, tourism potential and also very much a new focus on sporting participation benefit as well, because we want to ensure we can get that out of it too.

I do not agree there is a contrast between my approach to Russia and my approach to Israel. I have been outspoken on both, but all along I have said it is a matter for the national governing bodies to make those decisions, as well as the international ones. At the last committee meeting, the Deputy was asking me about the boxing situation, where I was getting complaints that somehow the Government was organising a boycott of boxing matches because Russians were participating. In every statement I made on that I said it was a matter for the national governing bodies and there was no question of the Government interfering with the independence of sporting organisations. Any time we made statements about the Olympics it was very clear there would be no boycott of them and indeed when we had ministerial meetings, especially on Russia and Belarus, it was clear from everyone taking part in the meetings there would be no boycott. As such, we have consistently left this to the national governing bodies, to the organisations. They are in a very difficult space at the moment, because the fine is one thing - and people are saying the Government pays the fine - but they could potentially be banned from international sporting competitions for a number of years. It is not just the match today. There is another match later this month in a different sport and I am sure when people find out they will be lobbying on that one too. We have calls for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest not because we are in a head-to-head with Israel, but because Israel is in it. I have no doubt people will be calling for boycotts of the Olympic Games and these are not things I am prepared to support. I have to leave it to the international organisations.

I reject any allegations by certain people from the Israeli team who are apparently accusing the Irish team of antisemitism. That is wrong. The Irish team just wants to fulfil its potential at international level. Basketball Ireland are not people who are used to navigating international politics and these types of issues. The Government is doing that and as the Deputy has acknowledged, there has been a consistent approach from it on this. We have called for a humanitarian ceasefire. We have given considerable support to the people of Gaza via the humanitarian effort and the Tánaiste and Taoiseach have been really consistent on the international stage about this. It is to our credit that other countries have come around to our position on this, but make no mistake, this is a difficult situation for Basketball Ireland and for the team. I wish them well in all their competitive games. If we start picking on one particular game, we will be back in three weeks on a different game and eventually we will be taking part in no international sport because somebody will have a problem with us going to the Olympic Games. That is the reality and it is not something I can stand over. On Russia and Belarus, we are absolutely consistent we could not interfere with the international bodies and that is the answer I gave the Deputy last time. I am not sure whether I could describe him as complaining that boxers were told by their national governing body not to box, but I gave him a very clear answer that day that we were not demanding a boycott and we are not doing that today either.