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

On the international sporting situation, the Government and I have absolutely no influence or jurisdiction over any international sporting body. Those organisations work on the international level. Many are based in Switzerland and some of the really big ones are almost like international organisations themselves, such is their influence. They certainly do not take direction from individual governments, that is for sure, and governments are always very careful to ensure we do not interfere. That happens at that level. It is not possible for the Government to insist on telling a sporting organisation at international level what to do. If we decide to take a unilateral action which, quite frankly, will not be adhered to by almost every other country-----