Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like Senator Richmond, I share the disappointment regarding the failure of Ireland to secure the rugby world cup. Although I do not come from a rugby background, I want to put on record that our Celtic cousins in Scotland and Wales, the people who play with us on the British and Irish Lions, let us down. This was a unique opportunity for the island of Ireland, North and South, to have a world premier. I believe they let us down. Ireland only got eight votes. I want to thank England, which gave us three of those eight votes, as well as Canada and the USA. I feel it is a lost opportunity for the island of Ireland.

A few months ago I raised the distinct possibility of the island of Ireland hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Durban had withdrawn and an opportunity arose. I felt that €500 million from the UK taxpayer could come to Belfast and, as an island, we could share the facilities. I do not think that was taken seriously by some Ministers here because they had their eye on the ball of the Rugby World Cup. While I can understand that, I believe these are two lost opportunities to have a world event on the island of Ireland. Sport reconciles and unites us. We need to look much more closely at this issue.

Many of us said yesterday we wanted an all-Ireland soccer team. We have an all-Ireland rugby team. What I am trying to do, hopefully, is have an all-island hockey team competing in the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia in 2018. Would it not be symbolic to have players from the island so we can cheer them on in the Commonwealth Games? I hope we will have that, although it will depend on world rankings. I hope we will have acceptance of an all-Ireland or all-island hockey team competing in the Commonwealth Games. The significance of it is that this is not a one-way street; it is a two-way street. That is the way we should think.