Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas arís leis an Aire Stáit. Tuigim go huile is go hiomlán go bhfuil sé díograiseach maidir leis an ábhar seo.

I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has reasserted his support for resolving this issue. That is really important. If Irish sport teaches us anything, it is that Ireland works best when we work together and the country works as one whether that is in terms of our boxers, Gaelic football teams, Olympians and sportspeople right across the board. What we need to continue to do, particularly as we head into the Christmas and new year period, and the change in roles within the Government, is ensure that this matter does not go off the boil. Therefore, we need to marshal the sporting organisations, the friends of Irish athletics and build upon the political unanimity that there is across these Houses in support of ensuring that this matter is resolved. At the heart of this matter is the Good Friday Agreement. It is the issue of fundamental respect for people's identities and aspirations and in so doing ultimately achieving better outcomes for Irish athletes and Irish sports going forward. We should all work diligently and hard to ensure that that is the outcome.