Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 19: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if all of the recommendations of the Murphy Report published in 1998 on the incidence of child abuse in Irish swimming that required Government action have been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40900/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The only recommendation in the 1998 Murphy Report of direct relevance to my Department concerned the issue of funding. The Report recommended that increased public funding be allocated through the Irish Sports Council, which is the statutory body responsible for the development of sport, to Swim Ireland for necessary reorganisation and training. Since 1999, Swim Ireland has received over €3.6 million in funding from the Irish Sports Council, with grants of €804,500 in 2006.

A number of other recommendations related to the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Health and Children, Justice Equality and Law Reform, and Education and Science and these recommendations were brought to the attention of those Departments for their information.

The Irish Sports Council is satisfied that Swim Ireland has been restructured and refocused in accordance with the recommendations of the Murphy Report. Since the publication of the Report in 1998, further changes have taken place in best practice and legislation on child welfare by the Department of Health and Children together with reviews and updates to the Irish Sports Council's Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport.

The Irish Sports Council has confirmed that Swim Ireland is in compliance with the provisions of the Council's Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport in Ireland.