Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The Irish Sports Council, ISC, which is funded by my Department, has statutory responsibility for encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and the achievement of excellence in competitive sport. In this regard, the ISC works in partnership with the Irish Institute of Sport, the Olympic Council of Ireland, the Paralympic Council of Ireland and the relevant national governing bodies of sport in the preparation of Irish athletes for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. My Department has allocated €53 million to the ISC for 2009 which will allow the council to continue to provide high performance support for elite athletes.

I understand that the ISC has established a review group to examine the preparations and performances at the 2008 Beijing Games in order to prepare for the 2012 London Games. The overall aim of the review is to make recommendations to the ISC in respect of structures, programmes and investment policy which should be pursued based on the outcomes of the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I understand that the review will be completed shortly and it is anticipated that the report will be published in December.

I recently met a number of the key stakeholders involved in the support of our elite athletes to discuss how we can best build on the success we had in Beijing and the supports required in terms of coaching, programmes, facilities and funding to ensure the optimum performance of Irish athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games. It is my intention that the issues arising from these meetings will dovetail with the review being carried out by the ISC.

I intend to meet with the Olympic Council of Ireland and the Sports Council shortly in order to identify the challenges which must be met in the preparation of our team for the London Olympic Games.

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