Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Terry Brennan for tabling the motion which gives us all an opportunity to discuss the value and contribution of sport, not only to Irish society but also the economy generally and everyone who participates in or likes to watch sport. Reference has been made to Katie Taylor's victory this week and many other events.

The value of sport to the economy has been well documented. The 2010 Indecon report showed that for every euro the Government invested in sport, the value to the economy was almost one and half times that amount. It showed that the net contribution to the Exchequer was over €300 million when there was an investment of just over €618 million in 2008. The figures will stand still this year, whatever amount is spent by the Government, but it is clear that there is a return on the investment made. I understand from the Indecon report that the contribution to the economy by sport is about €1.8 billion. The report is very good because it analyses the household spend on sport - €1.885 billion - and the breakdown of that figure in terms of sports clothing, sports-related publications, donations and so on. It is useful and helpful in underlining that the money spent by the Minister of State and his Department on sport results in a net contribution to the economy generally. From an economic point of view, it is a worthwhile investment.

The contribution to facilities through the sports capital programme has been mentioned. I welcome the reopening of the programme. It was the right thing to do and is benefiting areas across the country.

The wider issue of the betting tax, how it was used and the money made available was also discussed by the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and in the Seanad. Some €60 million was made available to Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon. Not all of that money comes from the betting tax; some of it is taxpayers' money. This year, for example, about €54 million was made available, a figure which will increase next year. Approximately 50% of it came from the taxpayer and 50% from the betting tax, which will increase from 1% to 2% and result in a benefit. While I support the funding of HRI and Bord Na gCon, when a punter places a bet online or off-line on a football match, Eamonn Coghlan running years ago or another event such as the Katie Taylor fight, the tax gathered goes straight into the horse racing or greyhound racing fund and that is not right. A percentage of the money should be made available for sport, given to the Irish Sports Council and used to improve participation and activity levels across the board. Sport does not just mean competing at a world level or with an inter county team. Benefits can be derived for physical well-being and mental health.

We have to examine participation rates. The Irish Sports Council, through Mr. John Treacy, is the way to do this. It has the network through the sports partnerships. The Minister of State needs to make the case that a percentage of the money gathered from the betting tax should be ring-fenced in the Department and used to help children to become involved in some way in sport. This would help to cut down the rate of obesity, which is endemic across Ireland. Trinity College Dublin carried out a survey in Tallaght which found the lack of sports activities in schools was having an impact on obesity levels. Senator Eamonn Coghlan did some excellent work in this regard. There is a need to include sport in the junior and leaving certificate curriculums. Unless this happens, there will not be a buy-in at primary school level. Often teachers, because they feel they are not competent, even though they may be, do not want to buy in to engaging in physical activity at primary level. This is an issue we have to examine as a country.

Sports drinks represent a massive multi-billion euro industry worldwide and a multi-million euro industry in Ireland. It would better to drink water, even though we will be paying for it shortly, than Lucozade, Gatorade and other drinks. It would also be cheaper. As someone who participates in sport and has a background in nutrition, I know such drinks are very dangerous, as they are very high in sugar and salt and corrosive on teeth. People believe they are beneficial, but a 500 ml bottle of Gatorade or Lucozade Sport contains about 52g of sugar. A young or other person involved in amateur sport who does a three or four mile run and then drinks such a drink will find that the calories he or she burned during the physical activity were lower than those in the bottle. The Minister of State should challenge the industry that is making millions of euro in selling these drinks. Coca Cola, Mars and other multinational companies are behind such products. They have slick marketing campaigns and need to be taken on, as young people are being exploited.

Another issue involves the protein shake and drink industry. These products have harmful effects on people's health such as those with heart defects. The Minister of State should also take on this industry. The public would welcome it, as they would reduce unnecessary expenditure on drinks which are full of sugar and salt and have no benefits. One would be far better off mixing water with a little salt and diluted orange, as one would have a far better sports drink than those which cost €3 or €4 in a shop. I ask the Minister of State to take on the drinks industry and to go after some of the money in the pot raised from the betting tax. It should be used to fund participative, rather than elite, sport.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, to the House. It is always a great occasion when he comes to this Chamber as he is always so positive. We are a sports mad nation. Senator Ó Domhnaill is a Member I regularly meet in the fitness room and in regard to sport and healthy living, he practices what he preaches. I agree with him that dealing with the industry is challenging. We should take a partnership approach. In fairness to him, the Minister of State has succeeded in bringing a number of sports capital grant programmes over the line, in spite of the terrible economic conditions at the time. The Minister of State ensured there was equity and fairness across the board, that small clubs that were doing extraordinary work were recognised. He also ensured the equitable distribution of grants across counties. In addition, he made sure that once a programme qualified, a percentage went to each county. I sincerely hope that he may have some additional money to invest in the programme for the new year and that it will be equally successful.

Oireachtas Members talk all the time about equality. Sport creates equality. Regardless of people's background, once they have a talent for running or football, they will get on a team and play. What better way to create a society of equals than through sport? We have a programme for elite athletes and we are all very proud of them. We have Paralympics athletes and Special Olympics athletes of whom we are very proud. I have spoken to the Minister of State previously about people with disabilities who are not elite athletes but have a right to participate in sport, the same as any other citizen