Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is speaking my language. We all know that the drinking culture presents a serious issue, as does binge drinking. The banning of advertising is one option. However, the Government does not have the means to provide that funding for sport. When the national lottery was set up, the money was to be used for the funding of sport and the arts, but that is not the case. The revenue goes into the Exchequer and my Department has to make a case for its budget each year. The Deputy is aware that the economic position is difficult. Our contribution to the Irish Sports Council is more than €40 million. The allocation has been reduced in the past two years because we simply do not have the resources. For example, we could not find a sponsor for the Irish Open golf championship and Fáilte Ireland had to step into the breach. Funding has been taken away from tourism development. I would love it if there was no drinks company sponsorship of sport, but we have to live in the real world. There is a serious economic crisis. All codes, including rugby, soccer and the GAA, have had great difficulty in securing sponsorship. One organisation could not secure sponsorship to cover the cost of jerseys. Another secured sponsorship but at a much reduced level in these difficult times. It would be preferable if it was not necessary to depend on sponsorship, but if the €30 million is taken away from sport and festivals, we will have a problem.

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