Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

As the Deputy is aware, we are in the midst of an Estimates process at present. What will happen in the future will be decided as the budget approaches. However, this does not invalidate in any way what I said after the Olympic Games in Beijing. The points I made then remain valid now and I have not changed my mind in respect of them.

When people refer to 2012, it is usually in the context of huge teams coming to Ireland. Irrespective of the facilities we have to offer, it is unlikely that this will happen to any great degree. Some competitors in specific sports may come here for particular reasons. There is, however, a range of areas on the tourism side from which we can benefit, particularly when one considers that the Olympic Games of 2012 will be staged in London.

I am of the view — this is no secret — that the development of a cohort of sports facilities is vital to the long-term future of sport in this country. I support what has been said in the various reports in this regard. However, I am obliged to operate within the constraints of the current budgetary framework. Everyone will accept that this framework has, for many reasons of an international nature, radically changed from what it was only 12 months ago. I continue to examine how we might maximise the opportunities that exist in the context of developing our athletes as well as providing facilities for those of other countries. What is essential to most elite sportsmen and women is international competition. In Ireland we do not have facilities for major international competition. Most of our elite athletes, in any discipline, want to compete at the highest level and that requires them to be abroad quite a lot. When I was in China I learned that some athletes did no training in China. For example, China sent its cyclists to Switzerland. They were literally sent to Switzerland for the past four years to be involved and trained there, irrespective of the facilities. They were sent there so they could get the competition.

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