Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The O'Donovan brothers, Gary and Paul, together with other world-class rowers from the Skibbereen Rowing Club are among the greatest ambassadors that this country has ever had, but this summer these world-class rowers will miss one of three World Rowing Cup events due to the lack of funding for Rowing Ireland. Rowing Ireland is getting the same funding this year as it got in 2017, but it is now a senior rowing team of 11 world-class rowers and, as a result of this level of funding, it can only send a team to two of the three World Rowing Cup events this year. On 21 March, I asked the Taoiseach about this in the Dáil and subsequently wrote to him to seek funding for Gary and Paul O'Donovan to sell Ireland abroad. I have yet to get a reply to this request. It was appalling to read the headline in the Southern Star last week: "Funding shortage will force O'Donovan brothers to pay own way to World Cup II regatta". Why are we-----

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