Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will begin my remarks by acknowledging and thanking the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, for his announcement this morning of €2.5 million for swimming pools throughout the country. Bailieborough leisure centre and swimming pool and Cavan leisure centre were recipients of this and we know how desperately they need this funding.

On a more pressing matter, I have to begin by commiserating with the Galway players and management team who found themselves in a most difficult situation on Sunday. Before the all-Ireland semi-final commenced, they were seriously disadvantaged by having no warm-up time, which is an essential for any team's pre-match preparations. Everything was rushed for Galway, which did not allow for proper mental or physical preparation before that defining match. The teams were not on a level playing field. I must acknowledge that the Galway players trained and prepared all year for last Sunday's all-Ireland semi-final only to be let down by circumstances that could have been prevented. They were the real losers this weekend and my heart goes out to them. There are no second chances for this group of talented sportswomen.

Why was the game moved to Dublin when Limerick became unavailable? Semple Stadium had been made available as an alternative venue. Surely Thurles was nearer for both teams and the decision to bring the game to Parnell Park needs an explanation. For me this is a core part of the problem. Last year, as the Minister of State is well aware, 56,000 people attended the final in lashing rain. However, this weekend, because of the sudden change, TG4, which does tremendous work to promote peil na mban so strongly, was unable to televise it. Viewers and supporters were also let down and I can only imagine how the families of these players must have felt, given their disappointment at not being able to watch the game. The image of the ladies' game has been tarnished by questionable decision making in the lead-up to the game. The GAA, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and the Camogie Association need to work together for the betterment of their players.

The original change to this match was caused by five Cork dual players being unable to play due to a clash between camogie and ladies football the previous weekend. Communication is an important part of all of this. Perhaps considering the curtailed and condensed season this year, an issue was likely to occur. However, a recurrence cannot be countenanced as it threatens the image and perception of the game. At the heart of sport is equality and this needs to be central in how women's football and women's sport in general are catered for. I intend to pursue further the imbalance that exists in expenses for male and female GAA players but that is for another day. It is something I hope to do with the Oireachtas committee.

The organisations under the GAA umbrella that govern men's football, ladies' football and camogie need to work together to prevent issues such as this happening again. It brings into sharp focus the larger question, which is funding for ladies GAA games. The GAA does tremendous work and was at the forefront during the pandemic, and we have evidence of this throughout the country, with regard to how its members got into their vans and brought food to people living in more isolated areas in the community. The GAA came together and was to the forefront in helping to support many less well-off and more vulnerable people in our communities. We know the GAA men's games attract funding of more than €3 million, which is wonderful. The Ladies Gaelic Football Association, by comparison, receives €700 million and, of course, the ladies have a lot to do with regard to their own travel and physio-----

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