Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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31. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 230 of 23 February 2017, and in view of the recently formed Athlete Commission for the period 2017 to 2020, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the board of Sport Ireland will not consider funding for the Olympic Council of Ireland in 2017 until the Moran inquiry has been finalised and published; his views on whether this will hinder the preparation of Ireland's future olympians' preparations for domestic and international sports events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29949/17]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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In a nutshell, Sport Ireland has been in the position since 2016 that it cannot release funding to the Olympic Council of Ireland, OCI, while the Moran report sits in the Office of the Attorney General. Some 25% of the OCI's funding in 2016 was not drawn down and the funding for 2017 will not even be considered by the board until the Moran report is published. There is an urgency about this. I listened to the Minister's earlier response but that, in a nutshell, is a really serious problem.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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It could be. ​I thank the Deputy for her question. I hope it will not develop into a serious problem. It may do if it is allowed to fester and this situation is allowed to continue. I take her point. I am aware that Sport Ireland has not as yet allocated funding for the Olympic Council of Ireland, OCI, in respect of 2017. I can advise the Deputy that the position remains that the board of Sport Ireland intends to consider the funding allocation once Judge Moran's report has been published. We have been through that already. I will not go through all the details around Judge Moran's report unless the Deputy would like me to.

While I acknowledge that the current suspension of funding has implications for the OCI, I do not believe that the current regrettable situation is going to hinder unduly preparation by athletes for Tokyo 2020. It is important to bear in mind that the annual funding provided to the OCI by Sport Ireland is specifically earmarked for administration and vouched programme costs rather than direct supports for individual athletes. It is also pertinent to note that the OCI has significant alternative funding streams, including funding from its parent body, the International Olympic Committee, the IOC. 

Accordingly, I consider that, pending the resolution of matters concerning funding by Sport Ireland, the OCI will be able to continue its important and valuable work in preparing our athletes for the winter Olympic Games in Korea next year and also for the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.

In relation to the publication of the Moran inquiry report, the timing of the publication of the report will be subject to consideration of advice sought from the Attorney General. It is my hope to complete such consideration at an early date and that I will be in a position to publish the report as soon as possible thereafter. I am in touch with the OCI regularly. Indeed, I had a meeting with its chief executive, Sarah Keane, recently. I will be keeping in close touch with it in the near future. We will, of course, not allow the publication of the Moran report, or its lack of publication, to dictate the decision on funding more permanently in any way.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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It is really important that is the case. It is one thing ensuring money for the athletes; the administration which allows that to happen is another. It is my information, on 27 June, that the trial of Pat Hickey and Kevin Mallon in Brazil is not even scheduled, and may not happen for a very long time. There is big queue because of some unrest. I know that €1.5 million has been earmarked or spent to date on the costs around this. Is the OCI carrying that cost?

The Times, Ireland edition, reported an OCI official as saying that the final cost will only be known when the legal proceedings in Brazil have been brought to a conclusion. Those costs are factored into administration, as is not releasing the funding to allow the organisation to proceed.

The Minister referred to the near future. It appears the Attorney General saw this complaint before he did. I ask him to comment on that. Can he give an indication of a timeline which is critical?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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If I am wrong about this, I apologise. I think the Attorney General got the letter simultaneously with me so I do not think there is any differential there. I will let the Deputy know when the Attorney General reports to me. I know it will not necessarily be available in the public arena immediately because I will not be taking questions here again for a long time. I know the Deputy has an interest in the matter.

I cannot comment on legal proceedings in Brazil or when they might happen and would not do so. If, in the unlikely and unhappy event that the Attorney General provides advice that the report should not be published under any circumstances, that will not be the determining factor for me in talking to Sport Ireland about funding the OCI. It is really important that athletes are not deprived of funding just because of that incident.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Does the Minister have a contingency plan if that is the case? When would that kick in, if the Attorney General says that the report cannot be published under any circumstances?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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That is affair question. We should have that contingency. We should anticipate whatever might be said by the Attorney General. If he says we should not release the report under any circumstances, we would have to consider that very seriously. The knock-on effect that would have on Sport Ireland funding the OCI would have to be considered as a matter of urgency and consequent action should be taken in response to that. I do not think we could hang around to wait for the report to be issued or for something to happen in Brazil. We would then have to ensure the athletes are looked after and funding provided. It should not hinder in any way the Irish team going to the Olympic Games in 2020.