Last October, I asked the Sports Council to undertake a review of Ireland's participation in the Sydney Olympics. The purpose of the review, which was carried out by a steering group appointed by the council, was to learn from the experiences of Sydney 2000 and to develop a strategy, based on the analysis of the factual information gathered during the review, for the preparations towards Athens 2004.
The final report is an invaluable and objective analysis of the Sydney experience, which will make an important contribution to our planning for future major events. I am grateful to both the steering group for the dedication and hard work it put in to ensure that the report was delivered to me within such a short space of time and to every organisation and to every individual who co-operated with the steering group. I fully accept the 29 recommendations of the report, the implementation of which can make a real difference to the athletes preparing for Athens 2004 and beyond. I have asked that everyone directly involved take on board these recommendations and work together, in a spirit of generosity and openness, to nurture, support and encourage our emerging and elite talent. No less is expected by Irish people, who treasure and value sport and who have come to expect that our athletes and teams perform to the very best of their abilities, at the highest level of Olympic and world sport.
It was the opinion of the steering group, and I fully endorse this, that the Irish Sports Council, as the body charged with the responsibility for the development of sport, is best placed to oversee the delivery of the strategies and outcomes of this report and to carry out discussions with the relevant national governing bodies and other interested parties. In this context, I understand the Sports Council has already made preparations for undertaking this process.
Additional InformationIt is my intention that we should benefit from the experience and that the lessons of Sydney 2000 are used to enhance our preparations for all future major events. In the meantime, I urge everybody to focus on the positive aspects of this review and the implementation of recommendations that will have a lasting and beneficial effect on Irish sport.