asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been called to reports that the Army may discontinue playing rugby and soccer, and if he will make a statement on the matter; if any recommendations have been made by his Department to the Army Athletic Association in the matter; and, if so, if he will state the nature of such recommendations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rugby and Soccer in the Army.
38.
I have seen the reports referred to by the Deputy. On enquiry as to any circumstances which might have given rise to the reports, my attention was called by the Army Authorities to the following paragraph in the Annual Report of cumann Lúthchleas an Airm, which had been supplied to the newspapers:—
"(g) Rugby:
Each Ceannasaíocht has a small selection of good individual players, who practise with civilian clubs; but there is difficulty in fielding rugby teams due to shortage of players. The inter-command competitions produce scrappy unorthodox matches, but there is keen rivalry to win the Army Championship. Aer-Chór succeeded in adding this trophy to their collection in a fiery game against Ceannasaíocht an Iarthair. It is the intention to examine at the next half-yearly meeting a suggestion to replace the present competition with a series of representative matches in each Ceannasaíocht."
On reading the Report I had the following statement issued through the Government Information Bureau:—
"There is no truth whatever in Press reports to the effect that the Army authorities have in mind the banning of Rugby and Soccer in the Army.
In the annual report for 1959 of Cumann Lúthchleas an Airm, it was suggested that because of the difficulty experienced in some Commands in fielding teams for the Army Rugby Championship, the present practice in connection with these championships should be examined. It is the normal procedure to discuss suggestions made in this way at the next meeting of An Cumann and no particular significance is attached to the suggestion concerning the Army Rugby Championship. There is no truth in the report in a Dublin evening newspaper, that an Army spokesman stated that this suggestion was aimed at encouraging more men to play Gaelic games.
Apart from their physical training value, all games and competitions are regarded as an important factor in the maintenance of the morale of the Army, and it would not be Army policy to abandon any game or competition as long as there are sufficient participants to justify its being continued on an organised basis. It has been the longstanding policy of the Army to cater for all games and codes without discrimination. There is no change in this policy."
No recommendation in the matter has been made by my Department to Cumann Lúthchleas an Airm, which is charged under Defence Force Regulations with the organisation and control of Sports, Games and Recreation in the Defence Forces and which is administered by an Executive Council composed of Army personnel.