Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the policies, guidelines or regulations in place regarding his Department's involvement, or the involvement of agencies under his remit, in initiatives involving commercial promotions in the area of arts, sport or tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12000/07]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department operates a range of promotional programmes and initiatives in the arts, sport and tourism sectors directly or through the many bodies under its remit. The overall policy framework governing the work of the Department is set out in our statement of strategy 2005-07 and regular annual reports, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library or on the Department's website.

The terms, guidelines and procedures governing individual schemes and programmes operated directly by the Department, such as the sports capital programme, the local authority swimming pool programme and the arts and culture capital enhancement scheme, are posted on the Department's website or are available on request, while details of initiatives operated by the State bodies are available from the bodies themselves. Some of the beneficiaries of the programmes and initiatives referred to engage in commercial promotions as part of their operations, while others are purely voluntary or not-for-profit organisations.

In general, I welcome commercial support and sponsorship for the arts and sport, as such support complements State support and facilitates enhanced facilities, for example, additional or improved exhibitions or assistance for the developmental activities of the governing bodies of sport or individual athletes.

The Irish Sports Council's code of ethics and good practice for children's sport encourages sports leaders to refrain from seeking sponsorship from the alcohol and tobacco industries. Adherence to the code is overseen by the Irish Sports Council. Given the general nature of the Deputy's question, it is not clear as to what precise information he is seeking, but if he wishes to clarify the matter in a separate question or questions, I would be happy to provide an appropriate reply.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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The guidelines are woefully inadequate. Does the Minister not know that children are being exploited with the approval of an agency under his remit? He knows of issues I have raised with the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, regarding the morality and sensibility of allowing commercial businesses to peddle their wares in schools, but the Minister's Department has taken it one step further.

I refer to the Irish Sports Council's involvement in the Kids in Action scheme with Supervalu, the logo of which is in the scheme's advertisements. I welcome that since 2004, Supervalu has supported Buntús, a non-commercial scheme, but Kids in Action is different. It is an incentive scheme involving children collecting bundles of €10 vouchers to get equipment. For example, their purchases must amount to almost €4,000 for a Gaelic football worth less than €20, a basketball coaching bag requires €70,000 worth of purchasing and a so-called free indoor hurley needs €3,800 worth of shopping. Unfortunately, this blatant commercialism and cynical use of children and teachers is legal and made more attractive by the lack of real investment in schools' physical education equipment.

Does the Minister agree with the sports council endorsing a commercial scheme overtly? Is it not a morally bankrupt and corrupt practice and what will the Minister do about it?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The Sports Council is neither morally bankrupt nor corrupt. The council is involved in so far as it can be in increasing children's participation in sport. It operates Buntús, which is assisted by the commercial sector, as the Deputy pointed out. I do not know the modalities or methodologies of the situation, but the Buntús programme has been successful.

We are trying to increase the number of children participating in sport because society has a problem in terms of obesity and its health-related difficulties. While we use as much of our funding as we can, we are involved with the commercial sector where feasible through the sports council to achieve higher participation rates. Not for a moment do I believe the council would become involved in any corrupt or immoral practice.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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With all due respect, is the Minister a pimp? Is he trying to keep kids healthy by allowing a body under his remit to prostitute itself in providing equipment for them? That is what is happening. The reality is that the Irish Sports Council is endorsing Super Valu, a commercial company with commercial interests, by allowing its logo to be used in Super Valu's advertisements. Is that an immoral practice, if not a corrupt one? Is it right that a body under the remit of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is endorsing a company? Is the Minister saying he endorses Super Valu because it gives a person a GAA ball worth €18 if he or she spends €4,000 in its shops?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I am neither a pimp nor a wimp. I am trying to explain to the Deputy——

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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The Minister should not wimp out of the question.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is involved, through the Irish Sports Council, in trying to help more children to participate in sport.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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They are making parents spend a fortune.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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We are using our own funding, where possible, to enable us to do this in the greater interests of society. We are also sourcing funding from the commercial sector, where possible. The Irish Sports Council does this where it is appropriate to do so.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Is it ever appropriate?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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It is most unfair of the Deputy — I am surprised at him — to accuse the Irish Sports Council of being amoral and corrupt. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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The Minister should ensure the Irish Sports Council's logo is removed from Super Valu's advertisements.