Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil is 100% behind Ireland's bid for the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and we will support all Stages of the Bill, despite the less than satisfactory manner in which it has been presented to us, particularly the lateness of it and the rushed nature of its passage. As the Minister said, we are at the third stage of the process, which requires a number of Government guarantees and underwrites. It includes paying an advance on the tournament fee and providing an underwrite for the tournament budget as well as making provision for certain supports from the public service. All that is reasonable. However, on 4 May, the Attorney General advised the Minister that primary legislation would be required. Why did that information come to light so late in the day? Why was the earlier legal opinion deemed to be incorrect subsequently? What level of examination went into the initial legal opinion? Did the Minister at that stage say to himself, "I should consult the Attorney General on this"? Was the Attorney General consulted on this in the first instance as well as latterly? People are asking these important questions.

The Minister will accept that rushed legislation where all Stages of a Bill are taken on one evening following hard on a similar exercise in the Dáil last Thursday is not the way to do business. It is not good practice. The deadline is 31 July but today is only 11 July. I am only in the Oireachtas one third as long as the Minister but I have not witnessed any legislation rushed like this since the nights of the banking crisis.

A dedicated tournament committee is to be set up and, along with others, I am greatly mollified by the fact that the Minister has the good fortune to have people such as Dick Spring on board from the beginning. He is former colleague and, indeed, adversary of mine in Kerry and he is a good, sound, solid performer when it comes to matters such as this. I hope the membership of the tournament committee will be of that calibre to ensure the success of the bid. I agree with the Minister that it would be important for the economy to secure the tournament. It would also be good for the game of rugby, sport in general, and the image of the country. There will be significant investments in pitches and the general infrastructure of the sport. According to his figures, it is estimated that there would be 450,000 visitors during the tournament with a spend of €760 million, of which €138 million would return to the Exchequer. This is positive, particularly in the shoulder season for tourism, as he said.

I particularly welcome the fact that we are working with the Northern Ireland Executive on this. There are many ways in which we have failed to engage properly and constructively, not through our own fault but because of the political circumstances that obtained in the North. It has proven difficult to achieve the co-operation we see on the rugby field, for instance. When 15 men tog out, they tog out in the green and they work together. It is great that there will be co-operation between the Minister's Department and its equivalent in the North on the funding of the bid and working it through. That is a hidden bonus in the process.

I accept there has to be a great deal of confidentiality in the bidding process. We are up against big players and we have to play our cards close to our chest. However, it is up to the Minister to keep a close eye on this. Nothing is certain in life and anytime a guarantee or underwrite is given, as the Minister will be aware given his experience of the banking sector, there is always an element of danger. As he said, insurance is built in, which is a relief. The greatest source of income will the ticket revenue. I am not the only one who shudders when I hear about ticket sales in international sport. There is a great deal going on at the moment which is sub judicesince the Rio Olympic Games. We do not want a repeat of that in this tournament and it will be up to the Minister to keep a close eye on the ball. There is an old saying that the cobbler should stick to his last. The Minister has a wide, eclectic range of interests from the Judiciary to his other hobby horses but if keeps a close eye on the tickets and the money for the RWC, it will all work out in the end.