Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In the current Level 5 restrictions, no sports training is permitted, except for individual exercise or exercise with members of your own household, within 5 km of your home. There are a number of exemptions to these restrictions, for professional, elite and high performance sport, as set out in the Resilience and Recovery Plan 2020-21: Plan for Living with COVID-19, published last September.

Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, including high performance sport. Athletes supported by the Sport Ireland International Carding Scheme and members of high performance teams funded by Sport Ireland are permitted to continue training during the current restrictions. The selection of members of the high performance team is a matter for the National Governing Body of sport concerned, and neither I nor my Department have any role in selection of these teams.

Sport Ireland liaises on an ongoing basis with high performance directors in National Governing Bodies, which are required to ensure that all elements of their high performance programmes follow a strict protocol for the delivery of training and behind closed doors competition. Extraordinary levels of control are in place within high performance training environments. The ability to implement and adhere to high levels of control have ensured the continued safe operations of high performance programmes.

Effective preparation for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games is a shared priority for all concerned and the existing arrangements will be kept under regular review.