Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will support a bid to stage the World Equestrian Games here; if funding will be made available in support of staging the event; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33683/08]

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the level of dialogue that has taken place between his Department and Horse Sport Ireland in relation to the hosting of the World Equestrian Games; the detail of meetings that have taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33684/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 171 together.

I understand that Horse Sport Ireland is at present examining the feasibility of hosting the World Equestrian Games in Ireland in 2014.

The Department has had no formal meetings with Horse Sport Ireland in relation to a possible Irish bid to host the World Equestrian Games 2014, although there have been some informal contacts between both sides.

The Department and I have had a number of meetings with those involved in hosting the 2010 Games in Kentucky. In January 2008, the Department met with representatives of the commercial sponsors and in April 2008, my predecessor, the late Séamus Brennan TD, along with officials of the Department, met again with the commercial sponsors and others where the modalities for a possible Irish bid for the WEG 2014 were discussed.

More recently, in August, I met with a representative of the 2010 WEG commercial sponsors, while in September 2008 I, along with the Secretary General of the Department and the Chairman of Fáilte Ireland, met with representatives of the commercial sponsors and organisers of WEG 2010.

Before determining any possible Government involvement — through Fáilte Ireland's International Sports Tourism Initiative or otherwise — in a bid for the 2014 Games, it would be necessary to have a full assessment of the total costs involved and the potential benefits in terms of visitor numbers and international media coverage arising from the event.