Bernard Allen
Question:396 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the criteria, if any, his Department uses for the recognition of national governing bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18756/97]
Written Answers. - Sports Bodies.
Responsibility for examining applications, and making recommendations, for recognition, as a national governing body, was previously a function of a sub-committee of Cospóir (the General Purposes Committee), and now of the high performance advisory committee of the National Sport Council.
I am advised by the committee that the following are among the current conditions which they ask that an organisation must satisfy in order to obtain recognition as a national governing body of sport, the applicant body must (a) promote and control a form of sport or physical recreation which requires an acceptable level of physical skill and effort from the participant and of which the Sports Council and the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation approves; (b) be sufficiently developed to jusify the term national; (c) be constituted on democratic lines; (d) possess a written constitution and committee structure acceptable to the Sports Council and the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation; (e) maintain an effective level of management control of the sport in Ireland; (f) complete at least one year working, followed by annual general meeting and the production of audited financial statement and balance sheet covering all financial transactions.