Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if a review of the Irish performance in the Beijing Olympics has been conducted by or on behalf of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2263/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, has statutory responsibility for encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and the achievement of excellence in competitive sport. In this regard the ISC works in partnership with the Irish Institute of Sport, the Olympic Council of Ireland, the Paralympic Council of Ireland and the relevant national governing bodies of sport in the preparation of Irish athletes for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The ISC established a review group to examine the preparations and performances at the 2008 Beijing Games in order to prepare for the 2012 London Games. The overall aim of the review is to make recommendations to the ISC in respect of structures, programmes and investment policy that should be pursued based on the outcomes of the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I understand that the review will be published shortly.

I am completing a series of meetings with a number of the key stakeholders involved in the support of our elite athletes to discuss how we can best build on the success we had in Beijing and the supports required in terms of coaching, programmes, facilities and funding to ensure the optimum performance of Irish athletes at the London 2012. It is my intention that the issues arising from these meetings and the review being carried out by the ISC will inform the high performance strategy for the London 2012 Games.