Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Over the years we have had many calls from politicians that Ireland should host the Olympics. That is a worthy call and I very much support the Rugby World Cup bid for 2023. This was supported by the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, but also by the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and all the countries involved in that. In 2014, the Commonwealth Games were held very successfully in Scotland, and the host event was held in Parkhead, which is the home of Glasgow Celtic. The Commonwealth Games 2018 will be held in the Gold Coast, but Durban, in South Africa, has pulled out of hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games. It is open now for any country to apply to host them. Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham are hoping to apply.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Northern Ireland to apply to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022. There is a party in Stormont which actually can try to unite the people of Ireland. We could have the Commonwealth Games hosted by Northern Ireland but it could be on the island of Ireland. We have Croke Park, Windsor Park, the Aviva Stadium, the National Sports Campus, and many more. This could be a wonderful opportunity to bring the Commonwealth Games, which involves 71 teams and over 5,000 participants to this island.

We have to think differently. People talk about a united Ireland and uniting the people of Ireland. This is a wonderful idea to sell the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland, through the Executive or through the games committee, should now apply with the idea that it could be located on the island of Ireland. The 2021 Youth Games are to be held in Northern Ireland. It is a huge opportunity to have rowing, perhaps in Lough Rynn in Leitrim, to use the National Aquatic Centre and many other facilities in the island of Ireland. Then we can truly unite the people of our country.