Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill and support its aims. I apologise for not being in the Chamber for the Minister of State's opening statement as I was attending another meeting. I do not know whether he addressed the costs of establishing the new body. If that information is not forthcoming today, it would be useful to get it at a later stage. I agree with the proposal to merge the existing authorities and to create Sport Ireland but I would also like to know more about the costs involved. We are all acutely aware of the value of sports to Ireland not only in economic terms but also for health, community and cultural reasons. Minority sports are also valuable even if they do not enjoy the same prominence as Gaelic games or soccer. Thousands, if not millions, of people are involved in sporting activities every weekend, including the volunteers who do much of the work. The Minister of State has been forthright on the role played by volunteers in all of our sporting organisations. It is not just a question of elite sports and, while we all love to see success on the international stage, every weekend people strive to be the best they can be through their participation in sports of all kinds.That is where our focus should be, not just on the children who will be Olympic stars and world champions like Senator Coghlan. That is fantastic but it is important to focus on the other children who have different types of abilities.

My party, Fianna Fáil, supports the Bill. We oppose section 9, and we will deal with that on Committee Stage, but I am slightly puzzled about the reference in the section that Sport Ireland may appoint such consultants and advisers as it considers necessary for the performance of its functions. It is a new departure to mention specifically that a body can appoint consultants. Is that something Sport Ireland or the people the Minister of State envisages will be part of that are thinking of doing? It seems strange to mention that specifically in the Bill. The Minister of State might elaborate on that. We can deal with it on Committee Stage because I will be tabling an amendment to delete that section, which I believe is not necessary.

Is it envisaged that there will be any job losses? Has that been considered by the Department? If that is not the case, that is welcome but it is an issue about which some concern has been raised.

Section 22 relates to the chief executive. Section 22(3) states: "The Minister may, before the establishment date, designate a person to be appointed the first chief executive of Sport Ireland for a term to be determined by the Minister." Section 22(4) states: "Where a competition to appoint a chief executive is held prior to the establishment day, the successful candidate may be appointed by the Minister as the chief executive officer designate." I am slightly puzzled about that because an article in The Irish Timesof 29 August 2014 stated:

Ring added that the first chief executive of Sport Ireland will be appointed by him following an interview process. "The first chief executive will be appointed by me", said Ring. "I will set up a mechanism where there will be an interview process and [I will not mention any names] is free to make an application to that. But I will be appointing the first chief executive and that's a matter for [individuals] whether he [or she] makes an application for that job or not."

Are we moving away from an interview process? Section 22 says to me that the Minister will appoint the first chief executive and that what was stated in August 2014 is not correct. Has there been a change in direction? Has the Minister decided that he will make that appointment? If that is the case for the first chief executive, will that be for a designated term? If it is for a year, will interviews take place after that and how will that work? The Minister of State was very critical, and rightly so, in his commentary when he was in opposition, and I am sure he does not want to be in a position whereby he is appointing his own people and he has full control over whom he appoints to the boards over which he has control. I agreed with the Minister of State's comments in August 2014 that it would be a public interview process. I would like to hear the Minister of State's comments on that.