Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I come from a Border area in Dundalk, and last weekend more than 500 people could attend GAA matches just 2 miles or 3 miles across the Border. The Taoiseach is a big sports fan, as am I, and sport does a great deal for mental health issues and everything else. I am also chairman of the Louth county board. Last weekend we had to be strict, with only 30 players and 60 spectators. It is the wrong thing to do at the moment. There are 41 clubs in County Louth, and each of them could take 5,000 or 6,000 people with no problems whatsoever. Yet we are only allowed take 200 people in. There are many voluntary organisations putting stewards and everything else together and they are well organised. Nothing is going to happen. The most important thing is the safety of players and spectators. That is the number one issue. Will the Taoiseach please increase the number of people allowed at these events as soon as possible, to help the people of Ireland?

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