Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We now move to the second important issue and Deputy Niamh Smyth, who wishes to discuss gender equality for ladies Gaelic games, which is not surprising given what happened in recent days.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | 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-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I do not think it is €700 million, somehow or other. They would be happy with €700 million.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I apologise, €700,000.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I sincerely thank the Deputy for raising the matter. What she said about sport being about equality is everything we have sought to negotiate in the programme for Government. Our overall vision for women in sport is one where women have an equal opportunity to achieve their full potential, while enjoying a lifelong involvement in sport. With specific regard to the ladies games, there has been commentary recently on State funding disparity and the events last weekend surrounding the ladies football semi-final between Cork and Galway.

In relation to the semi-final, it goes without saying that the situation that arose was both disappointing and regrettable. Clearly, the State has no role or involvement in venue and fixture arrangements for any sport, but serious lessons need to be learned from what the Deputy has outlined and to prevent a recurrence. Sporting organisations are operating in specific difficulties and this has to be taken into account. As Minister of State with responsibility for sport, I agree with what the Deputy has said. We need to encourage closer collaboration and co-operation between all of the associations in the Gaelic games family and what happened on Sunday should not happen again.

In relation to State funding, I am committed to narrowing and eliminating the current funding gap between the Women's Gaelic Players Association and the Gaelic Players Association. Future Government decisions regarding these player support schemes will also be informed by the outcome of an independent review of these schemes commissioned by Sport Ireland that is under way. There is, in my view, a strong case for the development of a common funding approach and framework to guide an equitable distribution of such funding in the future. I have already discussed this matter with Sport Ireland and I am committed to ensuring that it is progressed in the short term in tandem with the review. We have to have equality, as the Deputy referenced.

A fundamental aim of the Government's National Sports Policy 2018-2027 is to increase the levels of participation in sport and physical activity across the population, with a specific focus on less represented groups, including women and girls. Addressing women's participation at all levels in sport is a key element of the national sports policy. A lot of work is happening and good progress is being made, not just in terms of increasing participation by women and girls but in the important areas of leadership and management roles in sport. It is imperative to make quick progress towards a much greater gender balance on the boards of national governing bodies, for example, and this is not happening quickly enough. We need to put everything on the table, including, for example, the possibility of gender quotas.

I acknowledge the work that is being done by the national governing bodies and the network of local sports partnerships in developing programmes and contributing to the increase in the number of women and girls taking part in sport. The number of women participating in sport in Ireland is continuing to grow and, at 3.4%, the gender gap in sports participation is narrower now than at any point over the past ten years. This is progress and the Government is determined to see that gap eliminated altogether.

The women in sport programme was established in 2005 and to date more than €20 million has been invested through the national governing bodies of sport and the network of local sports partnerships around the country. A key aim of the women in sport investment programme is to have equal participation between males and females in sport. As part of Sport Ireland's new women in sport policy, which was launched last year, a revised women in sport investment programme was put in place, involving the provision of funding to national governing bodies on a multiannual basis. A total of €3 million was invested over 2019 and 2020, doubling the previous funding for the women in sport programme. A further €265,000 was invested in the local sports partnerships under the women in sport programme.

Sport Ireland will reopen applications under the programme in 2021 with the intention of issuing a second cycle of multiannual funding. All national governing bodies will have an opportunity to apply for funding under the women in sport programme.

As I mentioned, Sport Ireland launched its policy in 2019. It is the express commitment of Sport Ireland and the Government that we build on the work that has been undertaken and address the funding challenges referenced by the Deputy, and the organisational challenges in Gaelic games and what the Deputy has outlined.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

l thank the Minister of State. Players and management listening in will be heartened by what he has said.

I have to acknowledge the work of Justin McCarthy of RTÉ, who did much research and interviewed many of the players. We have heard them talking very publicly and very honestly about their own experience. Of course, many of them are working and studying in cities like Dublin, Galway and Cork but are from more rural counties, like my own county of Cavan, and are perhaps travelling two or three nights a week. It is not acceptable that men’s GAA would be remunerated for any expenses the men incur for that commitment and dedication, and the women are not given equal respect in terms of the expense that is incurred by them. We also heard players say that when they have an injury or have physio, that comes out of their own pocket, unlike the guidelines that are in place for men in the GAA, for whom that is all taken care of and looked after.

There is a big onus on us, as a Government, to ensure there is a level playing field. Given the big disparity that exists, we need to close that gap and create a level playing field for women and men.

Players make huge sacrifices. I would also make the point that many of them have families and small children and they make huge commitment to their team. They do it for their team, their community, their club and their county. It is a passion and a vocation. They should be valued in the same as men in the GAA. I do not in any way suggest that men should not get what they get, of course they should, but women who demonstrate the same dedication to our national game should be valued in the same way.

It would be remiss of me not to mention Aisling Sheridan from Mullahoran, County Cavan, who is about to fly back to Australia. She is a member of the Cavan Ladies Gaelic Football Association but she also plays Australian rules for Collingwood football club and she heads back to Australia tomorrow. That kind of dedication is exemplary and needs to be encouraged.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I absolutely agree. I admire players like Aisling Sheridan for their dedication to their county, and we have had many across the codes who have been on both sides of the world.

I agree we need a level playing field when it comes to this issue. That is why we are trying to pursue a common framework in the context of the review by Sport Ireland. We want to see the issue around governance and leadership at board level addressed by many of the national governing bodies, NGBs. Some NGBs have below 10% on their boards, which is not sustainable and is not something we, as a Government, can support if they continue with that position. That has to be part of the conversation as well.

In terms of the broader Gaelic games associations, we need better co-operation, co-ordination and collaboration across fixtures and across how games are organised. I have been involved with my local Gaelic games club from a young age. In my club, it is one club across camogie, ladies football, men’s football and handball. Everyone operates collectively, with equality at the heart of it, and promoting all of the games equally. We would not have seen happen what manifested nationally in recent days in many of our local clubs.

That is why we need to see greater co-operation across the associations and it is why we have already discussed this. When I met Sport Ireland, I raised this as a key issue in terms of the funding approach. The current position certainly sends the wrong signal to women, girls and people who want to see and play our national games. There should be a common funding approach. That is something we are committed to as part of the review and, hopefully, we will work with Deputy Smyth’s Oireachtas committee to achieve that collective aim. We want to see the current gap dealt with properly. That is a core objective of our national sports policy and something I am committed to pursuing in a proper way. We have engaged on this with the women in sport committee of Sport Ireland, which has looked at this in a really forensic way. We support it and the 20x20 campaign, which is a key objective for Government.