John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

It is my intention to establish, in the very near future, a wide-ranging group that will seek to ensure that Ireland capitalises as much as possible on London's hosting of the Olympic Games in 2012. The group should obviously comprise people in the tourism industry and the sports sector. It is appropriate that it comprise officials from my Department also. We will, in the very near future, give full consideration to how rounded the group should be.

On the question of Croke Park, to which Deputy Deenihan referred in a different context, and the possibility of our making the grounds available to visiting teams, the GAA, in its special congress meeting to discuss the question of the stadium being made available to the IRFU and the FAI, which are representative bodies of two other sports, made a decision that related only to the period of construction of the new stadium at Lansdowne Road. The resolution that was passed was quite specific and I must respect it. If the grounds are to be used by sports organisations other than the GAA beyond the period in which the new stadium at Lansdowne Road is being constructed, it appears there is a need for a new resolution at congress. While this can be pursued within the GAA, it has not been promised — that is a question for another day.

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