Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Nov 1999

Vol. 511 No. 4

Written Answers. - Children's Sport.

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

36 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if the review of the code of ethics of good practice in sport has been completed; if so, when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24536/99]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

Following the publication of the report of the Independent Inquiry into Matters relating to Child Sexual Abuse in Swimming, I requested Dr. Breda McLeavey, chairperson of the expert committee which drew up the first code of ethics and good practice for children's sport in Ireland, to reconvene the committee to review the code's contents in the light of Dr. Murphy's report.

The committee has carried out a considerable amount of work since its resumption, and has been assisted by the availability of new guidelines on dealing with child abuse cases, recently issued by the Department of Health and Children.

The Irish Sports Council, established on a statutory basis since 1 July 1999, intends, in accordance with its functions as set out at section 6 (c) of the Irish Sports Council Act, 1999, to consult with the national governing bodies of sport in relation to the implementation of the revised code of ethics and good practice for children's sport. The code will be an all-Ireland document endorsed by both the Irish Sports Council and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland.

Seminars have been arranged for Dublin and Belfast on 4 and 10 December 1999, respectively, to allow the representatives of the national governing bodies of sport to discuss the revised code. Arrangements will then be made for the publication of the revised code at the earliest possible date.

Following publication and circulation of the revised code to national governing bodies of sport and relevant agencies, the Sports Councils, with the National Coaching and Training Centre, intend to carry out an active promulgation process involving regional and local training workshops to ensure that national governing bodies and their affiliates and clubs, adopt and implement the code. The precise details of the proposed promulgation process with national governing bodies are being devised at present by the sports councils and the National Coaching and Training Centre.