Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

The question concerns the remit of the Irish Sports Council. In November 2011, the Government announced its programme of public service reform. A key deliverable of the reform programme will be the radical streamlining of State bodies. This measure will deliver enhanced service efficiencies and will offer significant long-term savings in the operation of State bodies through the sharing of back-office administrative functions and other services.

In regard to the sports bodies, the plan provides that legislation is to be published in 2012 to enable the merger of the National Sports Campus Development Authority and the Irish Sports Council in 2013. The merging of these two bodies will deliver a more streamlined sports structure at national level.

My Department is currently examining the issues involved in merging the two bodies and any changes to the remit of the bodies will be reflected in the legislation. My officials are consulting with the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority on issues that arise during this process.

See this speech in context