Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt but that there will be a massive increase. Apart from the great pride and everybody cheering our women on, it will lead to more people getting involved and more pressure on facilities. As part of the sports capital programme, funding will be geared to ensuring we have inclusion and increased participation at all levels, including among women and girls. As I mentioned in response to an earlier question, we also have initiatives at senior board level which are designed to get more women on boards and more focus on that in the governing bodies. That also needs help at all levels throughout the administrative structures of the organisation and, as the Deputy said, through the facilities. I am absolutely committed to doing that.

I was never a great soccer player although my late father was. My wife also played soccer. I know personally of the pride among women who played soccer or indeed Gaelic football over the past 20 or 30 years at a time when it was a minority sport.

It is with pride that we see the Irish ladies' team now coming through. It is also a source of pride to see the kids who are now coming up through the ranks and playing soccer at a high level. We hope that will continue. The Government and Sport Ireland are committed to doing everything we possibly can to ensure we facilitate that and enable it to happen.

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