Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I agree with Deputy Michael Creed's comments on below-cost selling of alcohol. We must tackle that issue as rapidly as possible. I also concur with his comments regarding minority sports. In the case of boxing, for example, even though it has provided Ireland with more Olympic medals than any other sport, it is in many ways a poor relation. This might be because those involved in it are not as well organised as their counterparts in the GAA, for instance, when it comes to seeking grants and so on. Neilstown boxing club in my constituency was waiting years to secure a premises, while the club is Palmerstown is still seeking one.

The Bill before us will help to improve the governance of sport in Ireland. I welcome the merger of the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority. It is an example of common sense governance which should also save the taxpayer money without having an adverse effect on services. Several speakers referred to the importance of sport in Ireland, of which there is ample evidence in every community across the land. I concur with the remarks by my colleague, Deputy Jack Wall, regarding its importance in keeping young people away from bad influences, including drugs. Sport has positive benefits on a range of fronts, including health - both physical or mental - the capacity for developing friendships, and so on. Moreover, these are benefits which impact both individuals and communities. There is a great deal of pleasure to be had from sport even if one is too old to participate and is merely a spectator.

I commend the Government on its decision this week that sports clubs will not be liable for commercial rates in respect of non-commercial components such as dressing rooms and so on. This should lead to substantial savings for many clubs. I am aware of the difficulties this issue was causing in my constituency for such organisations as Round Towers GAA club and the Clondalkin and Lucan rugby clubs.

I take this opportunity to highlight the potential threat posed by the practice of match fixing. While the Bill assigns a role to sport Ireland in tackling doping, it does not mention any function for the new entity in combating match fixing or other sports fraud. Earlier this year, the Union of European Football Associations, UEFA, called on governments across Europe to insert a specific crime of match fixing into criminal justice legislation. This would make it easier to bring forward prosecutions and secure the conviction of any persons threatening the integrity of sport in Ireland. While we have not yet had any high-profile instance of match fixing, there have been numerous prosecutions by our nearest neighbour, the United Kingdom. We must be proactive in guarding against such a development here. I am drawing up a draft Bill on this issue and, when it is ready, I hope to meet with the Minister of State to discuss whether it might be a runner. I look forward to hearing his views on the matter and hope he will refer to it in his reply.

Several speakers referred to the huge growth in the numbers of walking and running groups throughout the country in recent years, a development which I hope sport Ireland will support. Last year, I introduced the Access to the Countryside Bill 2013 in this Chamber, which seeks to improve access for walkers and runners. That Bill is awaiting reception in the environment committee. One of the proposals it contains is to give walkers and runners the option of using footpaths instead of dark roads in remote areas. While some might consider the Bill as focusing on urban concerns, my view is that it would in fact offer most benefit to rural dwellers. I hope the Minister of State will bear the proposals in mind when reflecting on ways to encourage greater participation in sport. As well as addressing that objective, the Bill also has potential to provide an economic benefit by way of increased tourism. The Minister of State will be well aware of how the local economy has benefited greatly from the lovely pathway and cycleway between Westport and Achill in his constituency.

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