As Deputies Kelleher and Coughlan have pointed out, the major responsibility in regard to the allocation of national lottery funding rests with the Minister who will probably only manage to satisfy one out of ten organisations at any given time, in spite of the fact that many of the projects which require funding are worthy.
Over the years, politicians have handed far too much authority and power to independent bodies. It is very difficult to define the meaning of independence in this instance. This Bill is enabling legislation. I am waiting for the Sports Council to be set up before I decide on the manner in which funding will be allocated. If any future Minister wishes to transfer responsibility for funding allocation to the Sports Council, this legislation will enable that. I have not yet made up my mind on the matter. The Deputies and Senators in every constituency know the people on the ground who elected them. They are, in essence, a very broad committee of the entire country. I intend to leave it in that frame during my tenure in office. As Deputies Coughlan and Kelleher have pointed out, Deputies from every persuasion in a county are the best judges of what is needed in their areas. I would prefer to listen to them than to hand this area over at this time. However, it is still within my remit to do that any time and I reserve that right to so do.
In regard to Deputy Allen's point about the publication of the report, I do not see any reason I cannot have it made available. I will make it available to the Deputy. As I said, we were waiting for this Bill to be enacted. There is now a debate on the national lottery funds. I suggest to Deputy Allen that we publish the report and let the committee have a special debate on national lottery funding.
Deputy Allen also brought up the situation of the BLE. I do not want to get into an argument with BLE. I have not stopped any funding for BLE. Recent newspaper reports have been contradictory and the sources in BLE seem to have got it wrong.
The Deputy raised the issue of swimming in schools privately with me. The schools and the IASA were coming together before this incident happened and there is nothing stopping the schools from continuing in that regard. However, the Deputy should remember that the majority of the problems we had in swimming were in schools associated with the IASA. The swimming organisation is comprised of the individual members of that organisation, whether they are schools, adults or otherwise. Some 80 per cent of people participating in swimming are under 18 years of age.
I met the victims again last week and their AGM is in March. They had an EGM in January, which I facilitated. I have indicated to the swimming association my desire to see a full break with the past in swimming, if that is possible. However, I cannot tell individual members that they must contest particular positions. This is a democracy and it is up to them to do that themselves.
I would like to see a whole new beginning for Swim Ireland and for new members to be in charge of swimming, for the sake of swimming and the whole organisation. I told that to the victims when I met them. They raised some points with me. I asked them why they did not contest certain positions themselves at the last EGM and I was flabbergasted by some of the replies I received. It is up to the individual members of any organisation - GAA, hurling, swimming, basketball or whatever - to elect the committee. However, I hope they will contest those positions and that it will be a democratically elected committee. I hope there will be a totally new era for Swim Ireland.
It was said to me that there had been no change in Swim Ireland. However, six of the ten members elected at the EGM are new members or did not have any connection with the past. I hope that new beginning will continue for the sake of swimming.
I intend to oppose this amendment for the reasons I have outlined. Section 6 describes the broad enabling functions of the council to encourage the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and to develop strategies for increased participation in recreational sport and to co-ordinate their implementation.
Section 7 gives the council all the powers necessary to carry out these functions. Whatever Minister is in charge at the time can make that decision for themselves. It is in the Bill but it is up to the Minister to enact a policy. It includes the power to co-operate with and provide advice and assistance, including financial assistance, to any person or body. We are already giving the Sports Council funding disbursement because all the funding to the national governing bodies comes out of the national lottery. I have already determined that they are the best people to deal with that part of it.
Section 8 requires the council to establish the criteria, the terms and conditions for the provision of assistance and allows the council to refuse or withhold assistance in the event of the applicant failing to meet the applicable criteria.
In regard to the point raised by Deputy Allen, I am not trying to interfere with any national governing body nor am I telling them how to do their business. However, I will continue to use the funding issue, which is within my remit; if I am not satisfied that a national governing body is looking after the sport, particularly from a strategic point of view, I am prepared to withdraw funding from that organisation. This was done too much on an ad hoc basis in the past and many national governing bodies were too oriented towards the elite aspect of their sports and were not looking after the broad grass roots. If a national organisation does not produce a strategy I will use the funding criteria to ensure that organisation puts its house in order.