Evanne Ní Chuilinn (Fine Gael)

Tá sé sin go breá. Tá fáilte rompu ar fad. Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh Mary O’Connor chomh maith, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport. Sport in Ireland goes to the very essence of who we are as a nation. We define ourselves in tribal terms, whether this is by club, by county or by province. We punch above our weight as well and find creative ways to make a bigger impact globally than the small but mighty population of 5 million that we are. Sport, though, means different things to different people, and I hope during the debate we give voice to the many ways and means in which sport exists, or ought to exist, in this country. Sport is a hobby but also an industry. It is a distraction, a religion, a cure, but also a curse. Sport is a family and it is also a feud. Sport is competitive and sport is fun. Sometimes, sport is not sport at all, just a social outlet.

The sport industry is worth €3.7 billion to the Exchequer annually. It employs more than 64,000 people and the volunteer network in sport is worth more than €1.5 million. According to the Federation of Irish Sport, the sector has grown faster than any other part of the Irish economy over the past ten years. Outside of that sits the horse sport sector, which is a key cornerstone of hundreds of rural communities across the island. That industry supports 47,000 jobs and is worth €1 billion annually.

The Minister mentioned sport tourism in Ireland and that has grown exponentially in the past decade. The 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic was worth €180 million to the economy and attracted more than 39,000 US visitors to Ireland. In the same month, Dublin hosted the Europa League final for the first time in over a decade. The match was estimated to have generated €15 million and attracted thousands of German and Italian tourists to Ireland. The Ryder Cup, last hosted in Ireland at the K Club in 2006, was worth €143 million and, as the Minister said, there are our hopes that the 2027 revenue will vastly exceed that figure. However, current and future sports stars should reap the rewards of the commercial side of the sport industry into future.

A landmark shift in the landscape of Irish sport will take place over the next couple of years. It is, of course, GAA integration, which was mentioned by the Minister. There are very few opportunities to reinvent the wheel when it comes to governance and culture, but this is a very exciting opportunity for all Gaels as the Camogie Association, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and the Gaelic Athletic Association prepare to amalgamate. All three organisations voted in favour of integration at their respective congresses in 2022, three years ago. When it comes to pass, and it will, integration will further strengthen the Gaelic games family. Even though I know it is not technically within the remit of the Minister, it is vitally important that we keep abreast of developments and progress in relation to the new GAA and how the various governance structures, like ardchomhairlí, provincial councils and county boards prepare for a new dawn. Access to pitches and training facilities will need to be available to male and female players on an equal footing, not unlike the requirements for any new capital projects funded by public money. Juvenile players, referees, club volunteers and senior intercounty elites alike will all need to feel like they have a voice in the new GAA. I have no doubt that the steering group led by former President Mary McAleese is laying the groundwork for that.

Last night, at the Oireachtas Select Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, said the Government is fully supportive of integration, which is encouraging, and that he expects a funding request will come from the GAA. I know the Department will insist on all the usual funding constraints, such as gender balance on boards. Currently, the GAA has a 20% balance on the management committee, which falls far short of the 40% insisted upon by the State through Sport Ireland. At the announcement of the €31 million in core funding last February, the Minister and representatives of the Department spoke about intentions to prioritise diversity in sport over the coming years. This agenda is certainly to be welcomed.The Women in Sport movement over the last two decades has seen progress in relation to equality of opportunity and awareness but the work is not done yet. The dedicated annual Women in Sport funding is crucial to ensure that our female athletes, both present and future, feel supported and celebrated. There is a way to go yet in terms of attitudes and cultures in some quarters. We need to continue to innovate and work with our governing bodies to deliver initiatives for women in disadvantaged communities, for older women, for teenage girls, for those with a disability, and for those from ethnic minorities so that the feeling of inclusivity is widespread and not simply based on gender alone. Huge strides have been taken in gender balance on boards, as the original target of 40% nationally has been surpassed in the vast majority of cases. I would add one further dimension to board composition, which is to ensure that those sports with a high performance arm have an athlete representative on their board, and possibly even one of each gender, to ensure the nuances of both disciplines and the concerns of athletes are represented in decision-making rooms.

We pride ourselves as a nation of inclusivity and nowhere should this be more to the fore than in how we develop policy and treat our transgender and non-binary athletes or those wishing to take part in sport. Sport Ireland is encouraging all national governing bodies to develop a policy for trans and non-binary sports if they do not already have one. Their ambition is to make sport as inclusive as possible so that everybody can reap the many benefits that participation in sport brings. I spoke with a person recently who does not feel welcome in the sport that they love. I would encourage all stakeholders and governing bodies to develop an inclusive policy as encouraged by Sport Ireland.

Some of our greatest sports stars make their name globally in disability or para sports. Yes, when they become Paralympics champions they achieve the same recognition and respect as their peers the Olympics champions. We must, however, become more aware of opening up our sports clubs and facilities to disabled athletes or children who just need that first chance to try throwing a javelin or sprinting or swimming so that the future Ellen Keanes or Jason Smyths are not lost for the lack of exposure to opportunity.

Children generally deserve the chance to experience the joy of sports or simply just the high of mastering a new movement or skill. I have spoken previously about the importance of physical literacy and I believe we have a responsibility to our young people, particularly in light of increased screen time and fast food culture, to provide easy access to physical activity in schools. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to provide school-going children with 60 minutes of physical activity per day. I look forward to discussing with the Minister of State and some of his Cabinet colleagues how we can deliver this over the lifetime of this Government.

The Minister of State will appreciate that without the grassroots arms of our sports we would not have champions like Kellie Harrington, Caoimhín Kelleher, Rhasidat Adeleke or Rhys McClenaghan to celebrate. Every single one of our international superstars will tell us that it all began at the local club with a coach who cared and who knew the game. If our national governing bodies are the vehicle through which athletes find a pathway to elite sport and global recognition, the grassroots coaches, be they volunteers or fully accredited professional coaches, are the fuel. Nothing runs without the club structure. I speak especially about the sports outside of the big three. Consider gymnastics for example. Five teenage gymnasts will travel to represent Ireland at the European Youth Olympic Festival, EYOF, later this week. The EYOF is a prestigious event that plays an important role in the overall development of athletes because it mimics the Olympic Games model. This year's event will see 48 countries across Europe participate with more than 4,000 athletes, 35 of whom are Irish teenagers. None of those 35 aspiring athletes, including the five Irish gymnasts, have reached that standard without a dedicated club coach, a local club structure, and access to high-performance facilities near their homes, schools and communities. Without local gymnastics clubs like the Phoenix Gymnastics Club or Excel Gymnastics we would not have Robert Ward or Róisín Hickey boarding a plane to represent Ireland at EYOF. If the Minister of State does not know those names now, he will for the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.

My point is that clubs need to be supported or at very least need access to finance and development aids. It is increasingly difficult in today's economic climate for clubs to provide sustainable careers to their coaches at a decent salary while rents and utilities are increasing. Gymnastics equipment, for example, is very technical and extortionately expensive but it is like the chicken and the egg: without the equipment the Phoenix Gymnastics Club cannot coach kids like Robert Ward to the standard he needs to reach for international selection. Where possible, clubs need to be supported in accessing land, funding and facilities so we can continue to produce the talent the entire nation raves about every four years at the end of an Olympics or Paralympics cycle. Investment in people and programmes trumps everything. This point was also raised in relation to sports like boxing at the select committee last night.

Core funding also speaks to the EYOF athletes hoping to make a splash at Brisbane in 2032. While our core sports funding has increased year on year I want to finish with a per capitacomparison. In 2024, based on our population of 5.3 million core funding in Ireland was roughly €22 per capita. In New Zealand with a similar population of 5.1 million, core funding came in at €44 per capita. Ireland won 13 medals at the last three Olympic Games but in the same period New Zealand won 58 in the Summer Olympic Games and another five in the Winter Olympic Games. This only serves to highlight what a similar sized nation with a similar climate has achieved when sport is well funded in the right areas. How exciting is that prospect? This is achievable.

It is generally accepted that it takes between eight and ten years of development for an elite athlete to reach their potential. Now is the time to identify the next Paul O'Donovan or Mona McSharry for the 2032 Olympics and beyond and to ensure their clubs have access to state-of-the-art facilities and the means to retain coaching talent in this country to the benefit of Irish sport into the future.