John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

I assure Deputy Wall that, with the assistance of the project managers and sports consultants, Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited consulted very widely with the major governing bodies of sport, including the international managers for rugby and soccer, stakeholders and interested groups to devise a development control plan for the campus. It is the plan to ensure that expertise is available.

On the Deputy's comments on volunteers, I am greatly concerned about this issue. It is true that during the early years of the Celtic tiger, volunteerism continued in Ireland. As the tiger became more mature, so to speak, it seemed to lapse somewhat. It regenerated during the Special Olympics in Croke Park in 2003. Some 30,000 people offered their assistance and the games were a resounding success. However, it is unfortunate that, once the games were over, there was not as much interest in volunteerism. There is plenty of evidence to that effect across the country.

We do not have the number of volunteers in sport that we had in previous years. This is a particular problem in larger urban centres, especially in the areas where disadvantage is greatest. There is a need for the Government and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism to examine the question of volunteerism to ascertain the stimulus we can provide to ensure there will be men and women willing to put up the nets on a Saturday or Sunday morning, line the field, carry the flags and transport children to the various sporting facilities.

People should not forget that volunteerism does not happen by itself. One cannot just rely on the fellow who has been chairman of the local GAA club for the past 25 years, for example, to keep carrying on. He is only mortal. It is important that people start giving of themselves again. Without being too philosophical, I note it is true that individualism can often triumph over a community. This is always a tragedy.

See this speech in context