Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

All politics is local and important. I also am delighted to speak on this issue. I am delighted to see the Minister sitting back so relaxed, to have all the House ar gach taobh, all sides, supporting him - not like the pillorying he is getting from my colleague beside me and others regarding the Judiciary - including myself regarding his efforts that we would have a small bit of pleasure in the country. I am 100% with him on the Judiciary. It is nice to see the Minister is relaxed and that he is getting plaudits.

I agree with what Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said. I will not stray into that matter but those farmers should be at home tonight watching their children playing matches, not up here in Agriculture House. The Minister, Deputy Creed, has to go down to meet them. I will be up to his office in a minute to hunt him down.

A successful bid for the Rugby World Cup would be enormously beneficial for rugby clubs all over the State, including our own Clonmel Rugby Football Club that was founded in 1892 and plays its senior rugby in the Munster junior league division. We have many clubs in Tipperary, including the Kilfeacle and Clanwilliam clubs and the famed Rockwell club, to name but a few. Clonmel RFC is a club consisting of hundreds of members ranging from life members to under-8 members. My son played there for a period.

The Ruby World Cup 2023 Bill 2017 will enable the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to support the bid to host the tenth quadrennial Rugby World Cup in 2023 on the territory of this island. I know that Deputy Eamon Ryan has amendments tabled to the Bill but I hope he will not be a killjoy. I do not think he will be. When his colleague was here, a measure was introduced to ensure that we cannot park outside this House. We could play rugby out the back now or graze a few sheep there, and there is also the park across the road. He had a brainwave of putting down grass where we had car parking spaces that we badly needed. Deputy Ryan might give us a hand picking up the rubbish when the games are going on. I am not demeaning him but he made a point today in that respect. If the bid is successful, we will get to stage the tournament.

As Deputy Healy-Rae and many others have said, it is worth the gamble. Why would we not host it? We are a proud sporting people. Why should we not have it in Ireland. The world is our oyster. The Minister should go for it. In terms of the money the Minister has provided for in this Bill, I know people would give out and say there are cancer treatment needs and other issues and we have those issues to deal with but we will have a spin off and a benefit from this Rugby World Cup, not only financially and but also psychologically. It will create a feeling of goodwill and a feel-good factor that only the Irish can put on, whether it is on the field of play, on the streets with the buskers, or in the bars or the restaurants. We can do it anywhere whether it is in Galway or Kerry, where the headquarters of Tourism Ireland should be based, according to my two colleagues, and I do not begrudge them. Fair dues to them. They are good at it in Killarney and Kerry and in Kilgarven as well.

9 o’clock

Any time I have been there, I have been well looked after and I am sure that the Minister would have been looked after well any time he was there himself. In particular, the Bill will grant the Minister the statutory authority to acquire shares in and to support financially an established tournament company by guaranteeing payment of the tournament fee, guaranteeing the tournament’s operating budget, advancing funds to the company, if necessary, and supporting the acquisition of commercial rights for the tournament, including hospitality, licensing and sponsorship. Like others, I emphasise that the television rights must be for all and cannot be grabbed by some greedy broadcaster. Everyone must be able to access this and if they are not able to get tickets, they should be able to watch it. Lastly, it will provide undertakings for the support of public services. In all, the nominal amount of the guarantees or underwritings is likely to be between an estimated €320 million and €340 million. Commitments and surpluses will be split between the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, if it is still there, using an agreed ratio. However, the historical profitability of the tournament suggests it is highly unlikely the tournament would translate into a net loss to either Government or anyone else.

I am adamant about the television rights. They must be kept for the ordinary people. It is too often the case that sporting events are bought by different television companies. It costs a fortune for people to watch them. It is also very onerous on publicans and hostelries which want to show Sky. We must also have fairly reasonable ticket prices. I am assuming we will get it. I am a positive person and an optimist. Deputy Troy said earlier that he hopes the Minister will still be in the transport portfolio in 2023. I certainly hope that as well. I do not know if Deputy Troy will be here or not but the Minister will be here if makes these landmark decisions and he gets his judicial commission Bill through before summer.

We will know in November. It would give us a lift going into the winter, especially among all the clubs. The Irish Gaels will be able to put their shoulders to the wheel and do what they do best - put on a sporting event and putting their best foot forward to attract people to this country. It will be great advertising. We will showcase ourselves to the world with the World Cup which will be watched all over the world. We will get repeat visits and tourism. Afterwards, people will say that we were wise and brave to take the gamble. The man who never made a mistake never made anything. We are taking the chance. We are looking forward to hosting this event. We want it. The public will row in behind it. I know I speak for the people of Tipperary and elsewhere in that. As Deputy Healy-Rae said, let the killjoys go to hell. They can worry about the snails and all those things. We will deal with all those things afterwards. Beidh an spóirt againn agus beidh an craic againn. Beidh a lán daoine an sásta ar fad freisin. I know the Minister is not great with Gaeilge, especially at the rate I say it, but I support him in this and wish him well. It is one project where no one is giving out to him, unlike how they are trying to torture him on other issues such as judicial appointments and how myself and the lads here are fighting with him over the road traffic Bill. We will keep fighting on those issues but we will support him on this one. We want him to get it right. Along with his officials, the Minister and his colleagues can put their best foot forward. He might give a phone call to the Minister, Deputy Creed, to go down and meet those lads at the bottom of the building in Agriculture House and say hello to them and not hide in his ivory tower.

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