Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 434: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason that darts cannot be considered a sport under the ISC Act 1999 which defines sport as all forms of physical activity through casual or organised participation with the aim of expressing physical fitness and mental well being and in forming social relationships or obtaining results in competitions when this is historically recognised in the UK and Europe as a sport for up to a century and which in the current year 2011 is attracting 40 countries to participate in the World Cup Tournament in Castlebar, County Mayo; and if he will investigate the way this sport of darts cannot be fully considered a sport in any terms of the word. [12479/11]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body responsible for the promotion, development and coordination of sport which includes statutory responsibility for the recognition of sporting organisations as National Governing Bodies of sport and allocation of funding to same.

The ISC was established on a statutory basis on 1st July, 1999, and the functions of the Council are outlined in Section 6 of the Irish Sports Council Act 1999. This includes recognition, for purposes of funding or for any other reason, of any sporting or recreational activity, including dealing with sporting organisations and allocation of funding to same. Therefore this is a matter for the Irish Sports Council. I have referred the question to them for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a reply has not been received within ten days.