Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Just Sport Ireland is new to me but I am quite impressed by what it aims to do and the low level of awards granted as a result of mediation it is involved in. I understand that body has been working with national governing bodies to ensure a provision for arbitration is included in rules and regulations as a matter of course. Some 18 organisations have included the provision and it is a matter I am happy to promote so that they are get involved in it. Mediation avoids the trauma of court, never mind the amount of money it costs and the awards that can be made.

Given that confidentiality attaches to the case, I am not sure how much information can be made public. I accept fundamentally that money destined for sports organisations and approved by the Government to support those clubs, sports and the promotion and development of sport should not be going into the settlement of court cases. Anything that can be done to ensure proper and fair procedures to avoid that is something I would consider a matter of priority.

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