Jimmy Harte (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Like Senator MacSharry, I congratulate Sligo Rovers on their magnificent achievement in winning the premier league after 35 years and I agree with his call for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to come to the House to talk specifically about soccer in this country. A club like Sligo Rovers, which qualifies for Europe, can market Sligo as a town and area. I hope it draws a top club like Juventus, Borussia Dortmund or some large team in Europe which has a huge audience. People do not realise the potential a League of Ireland club has if it draws a big name in Europe in that it can market its area there. People coming here can see Sligo in its splendour. I hope that when the draw takes place, Sligo Rovers gets a good club.

The Minister should come to the House and maybe give us an idea as to whether he has a plan with the FAI on the future of grassroots and League of Ireland football. The League of Ireland has struggled on for many years. I was involved with Finn Harps for many years and people do not realise how difficult it is to keep a League of Ireland club going.

I again congratulate Sligo Rovers which has shown the rest of the country how to do it properly. It has a good set up and a good stadium. With teams like Finn Harps, Sligo Rovers and Derry City in the north west, there has always been a very strong soccer tradition there but we must grasp that. In this context the Minister does not realise the potential we have in going abroad. The national team has done much with the fans to promote the country and Fáilte Ireland should go with the fans and the FAI to the next venue. We are going to Sweden and Austria next year and we will be in London in May of next year. There are countries in which we can market Ireland through soccer. I agree with Senator MacSharry that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport should come to the House to give us his thoughts and ideas on the future from grassroots level upwards.