Eamonn Coghlan (Independent)

I became aware of opportunities to promote my country through the medium of my sport. I brought magazine journalists to Ireland. I asked them not interview me in New York but in Ireland in order that they could show photographs of Ireland in Sports Illustrated and maximise the coverage of the country in that market. I will go into more detail on these opportunities with the Minister at another time. Athletes who are receiving taxpayers' money through sports grants which we did not receive can be utilised in the same way today, if we go "back to the future". We can go back to what I was doing through the medium of sport and tourism and apply some of these principles. I look forward to speaking to the Minister on that point and getting value for taxpayers' money through our sports people.