Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept the bona fides of both Deputies in wanting to get progress on this issue.

12 o’clock

Sport Ireland has been engaging continually with the Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association since 2016 on the issue.

In March 2020, the IMMAA made an application for affiliation to IMAC and Sport Ireland welcomed this application. The development of a formal relationship with IMAC remains the recommended avenue and pathway to advance this. The application was also in line with both the recommendations of the working group and the Sport Ireland recognition criteria. Given the status of the international federation as a primary requirement of IMAC affiliation, the initial IMMAA application was unsuccessful. In November 2020, Sport Ireland met representatives of the IMMAA to discuss the development of the IMAC application. Sport Ireland recommended that the IMMAA continued to engage with IMAC on the broader affiliation requirements while the international federation continues its journey for GAISF recognition. In April 2021, Sport Ireland undertook to recommence the work of the working group, as I have mentioned, with all parties having agreed to take part in this process. Sport Ireland met the Irish Mixed Martial Arts Association in May and a joint meeting with the Irish Martial Arts Committee is scheduled for June. It is positive that this process is being re-established and it is hoped that will be a pathway forward.

The process of recognition is a detailed and rigorous one and that is the same for all sports and national governing bodies, NGBs. It involves specific criteria that have to be met. Each of the national governing bodies for sport has demonstrated its capacity to organise competitions in its respective codes and to implement policies for health and safety, safeguarding and other matters. Above all else, we must remain cognisant of the safety of all participants, as outlined by the coroner. Sport Ireland will continue to work constructively with the interested stakeholders on this issue and I encourage all sides to engage with Sport Ireland and the recommenced working group on this matter. It is to be hoped we will see progress on this in June when they meet again. I appreciate both Deputies raising this issue.

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