John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

I am unaware of any politician who seeks cheap publicity arising from the Special Olympics. At the time, the Government provided an allocation of almost €14 million towards the hosting of the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland. This was in addition to capital grants under the sports capital programme of €21 million to assist in the upgrading of a number of sports facilities that hosted various events during the course of the games.

In addition, the Irish Sports Council has been highly supportive of Special Olympics Ireland and is fully cognisant of the great contribution it makes to Irish sport and society in general. It appreciates that Special Olympics Ireland makes an enormous contribution to the voluntary sector and has, in the past three years, following on the highly successful Special Olympics World Summer Games, put its money where its mouth is by increasing the number of athletes by 28%. Since 2000, it has increased this number by 107%.

In previous years the council has made contributions to the cost both of the national competition and training camps for the Special Olympics. These contributions have been in the region of 33% of the total costs and have been in respect of smaller events such as the winter games and the European games. In 2007 the costs of competing in Shanghai will be substantially higher and the council will again seek to make a contribution towards these costs.

The Irish Sports Council may be open to an increase in funding towards the core activities of Special Olympics Ireland. However, it is not in favour of allocating specific funding for performance planning similar to that provided to its Olympic and Paralympic counterparts.

The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism has written to other Departments, including the Departments of Health and Children, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Education and Science to ascertain whether they will come up with funding as part of fulfilling the request from the Special Olympics Ireland organisation. In general, it will be recognised and acknowledged that the Government makes real efforts to support Special Olympics Ireland. I hope it will be in a position to help it with its latest submission.

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