It is strange to be sitting in this part of the room where I am usually targeting others. I thank the Chairman and members of the committee for giving me the opportunity to attend.
In December 1994 I was unexpectedly thrust into the job of Minister of State with special responsibility for sport. I quickly realised that sport was grossly under-resourced and that there was no hope of receiving greater resources in the absence of a national or business plan. Like a business person going to a bank to seek major funds, a Minister of State with special responsibility for sport without a national strategy or business plan had little or no chance of getting the resources sport and recreation deserved. Much of my two and a half years in the job was spent in attempting to put into place such a plan for sport. I consulted widely and concluded that such a strategy was necessary.
I was in Waterford for John Treacy's farewell race early in 1995, following which I spoke to him at length in a hotel about sport. I quickly realised that he was a man of vast experience as a practitioner at the highest level and having won an Olympic silver medal. He was very informed about sport at both national and international level and had learned the hard way what was required to develop and compete internationally. I understood from his philosophy that unless one nurtured the grass roots, there was no real chance of consistently achieving peak performances at international level.
About one month later I asked John Treacy to chair the group I was setting up to look at policies and strategies for sport. This took him by surprise but, having thought about it, he agreed. I installed a small group of individuals who worked with him like beavers. I was amazed at their work rate. There is a comprehensive report, as well as a summary, on sport and the changes needed outlining what the group achieved. It was presented to me late in 1996. The appendices indicate the level of consultation between the group, sports and educational organisations.
The term of office of Cospóir had expired and a new Sports Council was needed. John Treacy was chairman of the policy group. I believed the best thing to do to implement the policy was to also make him chairman of the Irish Sports Council. The policy looked like being innovative and I believed the best way to drive it forward was to use the man who wrote it with the policy group. I appointed the members of the Irish Sports Council late in 1996 and made the council responsible for promoting the new plan for sport. It was published in early 1997. However, the people had their say in June 1997 and I had no opportunity to implement it. Nonetheless, to be fair to Deputy McDaid, he ran with the report.
The summary deals with the core principles set out for sport and states that the sports strategy should have a people centred focus and that sports provision should have the needs, choices and abilities of participants — the operative word being "participants" — as its central focus. The report referred to equality and partnership between the sports sector public authorities, the private sector and organisations. It spoke of quality of achievement at all levels, with an emphasis on "all".
A core principle of the report was to support sport at grass roots level so that quality would rise to the top. However, the most important principle was to encourage all, especially the young, to get involved at grass roots level. They should try all sports to find one they like and then stick with it subsequently. A further principle was that sport would not just be sport but a key element in the fight against crime and drugs. The committee may remember that a Government task force was at that time considering the problem of the use of illegal drugs in Ireland. There was a question of anti-social behaviour, which is worse now. Sport and youth organisations were to be used as preventative element in the fight against crime and drugs. These were the core principles. There was also the principle of a strong grass roots with the development of facilities at school level. Talented people would come to the top and would be given the proper supports when identified as talented. However, the key principle was participation and to get all involved.
I pay tribute to Deputy McDaid who followed many of the principles. However, if asked how the sports strategy was implemented, I would answer that it managed to attract resources because the business plan was in place at that stage. However, I am disappointed with the over-obsession with spectator professional sport. Much of the time of political representatives has been taken up with, for example, Abbotstown or whether Croke Park should open. There has been an over-emphasis on spectator sport and professional sport. The grass roots have not received the resources or slice of the cake they deserve.
When considering how to achieve at international or Olympic level, we must see it as a long-term process. Unless we nuture the grassroots and the young, it will not happen. We have a population of 3 million, yet we are competing with the super powers in population terms. Many schools still do not have a sports hall. Clubs in all areas have 19th century facilities while we talk about super stadiums and agendas to develop professional sport at a pan-European level.
This was the real motive behind Abbotstown. There was an agenda to bring professional soccer at a pan-European level to this country and Abbotstown was to be the vehicle. We exhausted our talents and time in debating those issues when we should have been developing talent in schools and clubs, for which we should have provided facilities and the majority of the resources.
To answer the Chairman's question on the Olympics, it is a case of deja vu. We had a similar discussion following the Atlanta and Sydney games to this discussion on the Athens games. We will probably have a similar discussion in 2020 unless we return to the core principles of the national plan.
