Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Seanad tráthnóna inniu. Bíonn sé anseo go minic agus tá áthas orm é a fheiceáil anseo arís. The purpose of the Bill is to provide for the establishment of a new body, Sport Ireland, to replace the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority. This Bill gives effect to the Government decision to merge the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority. It was one of the measures included in the Government's programme for the rationalisation of State agencies.

The Bill provides for the dissolution of the council and the authority on the establishment of Sport Ireland. The establishment of Sport Ireland will result in a more streamlined organisation for the development of sport and the implementation of sports policy by bringing responsibility for sports matters together under one agency. Sport Ireland will take on the relevant functions currently performed by the council and the authority.

The Bill also combines and updates the main provisions of the Irish Sports Council Act 1999 and the National Sports Campus Development Authority Act 2006. It also takes account of the substantial developments in the area of doping in sport since the Irish Sports Council Act 1999 was enacted. The Bill includes provisions which ensure the statutory underpinning of the existing national anti-doping programme and the Irish anti-doping rules which underpin the programme. It also provides for information-sharing with certain bodies for the purpose of combatting doping in sport, which is to be commended.

I acknowledge the Minister of State's work in re-introducing the sports capital programme. I give him full credit for that. This programme was introduced by the Minister of State after an absence of four years and it acknowledges his total commitment and enthusiasm, his passion and his enthusiasm for sport. Every time he speaks about sport and tourism, he speaks with great gusto and enthusiasm and I welcome that.

What moneys have been allocated to date? The Minister of State may not have the figures with him but I ask him to provide the information later. I hope there will be a capital programme for the coming year and I ask the Minister of State to confirm any increases contained in it. I acknowledge the number of communities and sporting organisations throughout the country which have benefited, as has been mentioned by other colleagues. It has been a very successful programme with thousands of sports clubs and voluntary organisations benefiting. Many sporting men and women - too many to list individually - have reached their potential and are winning gold, silver and bronze in faraway places. They are great ambassadors for our country.

With regard to volunteers I do not think we fully acknowledge the commitment given by them for 52 weeks of the year. Opportunities are there to hold major sporting events in this country. I refer to the ladies world cup rugby to be held in 2017 and hopefully our bid for the men's rugby world cup in 2023. We have the infrastructure such as hotels and pitches. The tourism sector is close to the Minister of State's heart and it would reap the benefits.

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the achievements of my colleague, Senator Eamonn Coghlan, on the athletic tracks of the world and on his Olympic achievements in Montreal in 1976, Moscow in 1980 and Seoul in 1988. I am sure there were not too many sports capital programmes in those days. It was a difficult time in this country when perhaps we were being advertised across the world for the wrong reasons. Thankfully, that has all finished. I acknowledge Senator Coghlan's achievements and I congratulate the Minister of State on his achievements to date. I welcome the Bill and give it my full support.