Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The Irish Sports Council (amendment) Bill will enable the Irish Sports Council to establish subsidiary companies such as the Irish Institute of Sport. A number of policy issues have arisen during the course of the drafting of this legislation, which are under discussion between my Department, the Department of Finance, the Irish Sports Council and the Attorney General's office. As soon as those discussions are completed, I intend to publish the Bill.

I do not accept that the work of the Irish Institute of Sport is being hampered in any way while this legislation is being finalised. The institute, which has its own executive chairman and board and which is funded by the Irish Sports Council, is continuing with its core purpose of creating an environment which influences and supports talented Irish athletes and ensures they will achieve sustained levels of excellence in elite sport.

See this speech in context