Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I hope the Minister will forgive me for arriving a little late. I am delighted that the last time Mayo carried a cup across the Shannon, my grand-uncle, Paddy Moclair, was on the team. I hope we do not have to wait as long again. I know people are tired and have put a long day in so I will be brief. I ask the Minister to consider bringing together education and sport. I am mindful of one shining example of this, and that is in Kinsale, County Cork, under the directorship of principal Fergal McCarthy and his staff. There is no sport in Kinsale Community School that is not available to students. If a student expresses an interest in tiddlywinks they will set up a tiddlywinks club for that student. They have equestrian sport, golf, you name it, and on top of that they are constantly winning the Young Scientist competition. If we are going to fund sport it would be nice to consider putting some small amount of money aside for which schools could directly apply, to go into the non-mainstream sporting areas. GAA, soccer and rugby are well catered for in most schools, but the likes of a golf club would be less common. I know of one DEIS school that has a golf club running in north Dublin. The Minister could do a whole lot - his energy is known far and wide and he is doing a great job. No man can cover the country as fast as he can, and Mayo is well looked after while he is in the seat. I ask him to consider that. I was never much involved in sport myself. I look over at Senator Coghlan and I only wish I could walk.