Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015
929. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is satisfied that, as funder of the Irish Sports Council, and, therefore, of its sub-organisations, including the Athletics Association of Ireland, that the Athletic Association of Ireland has adopted and implemented the code of ethics and good practice for children in athletics; when it was adopted; and if it is binding on clubs under its remit since then. [28646/15]
View answer930. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of developments, or lack thereof, regarding the complaints on matters including child abuse and the complaints procedures within one of the clubs grant-aided by the State and under the remit of the Athletics Association of Ireland, between one family of runners (details supplied) and the club management, which has highlighted failures in the internal complaints procedures, pre-hearing bias, failure to keep records of complaints and processes, lack of parental and governing body oversight, and lack of engagement or of an independent appeal mechanism; the steps that will be taken to ensure full compliance in the future; and the way existing complaints will be finalised. [28647/15]
View answer931. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that a family (details supplied) has asked specific questions of the Irish Sports Council regarding the role of the national governing body in trying to set the family's complaints as being historic; that appeals against failure go unheeded regarding the proper application of the code of ethics and good practice for children in athletics; that the right of appeal was set aside and that concerns were raised on 9 January 2013 by a club's children's officer to the Irish Sports Council, Leinster Board and Dublin Board of the Athletics Association of Ireland; and his views that the role of his Department and the Irish Sports Council is more than a role of guidance in relations to matters which fall under the code of ethics and good practice for children in athletics, and where child abuse is alleged. [28648/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 929 to 931, inclusive, together.
Sporting organisations are independent, autonomous bodies with their own governance and competition rules and I have no role in their day to day operational matters. Nor do I have any role in relation to internal disputes or complaints between clubs and individuals. However, in relation to the particular case referenced by the Deputy, my officials met with members of the family in question in June 2014 and I was then briefed on the details of the matter. On the basis of my understanding of the case, I wrote to the Irish Sports Council expressing my view that the case should be referred, by the Athletics Association of Ireland, for arbitration to Just Sport Ireland.
I have had enquiries made with the Irish Sports Council and I am informed that the matter has been recently settled through binding arbitration using Just Sport Ireland and that both parties have signed up to the decision.
I am further informed that it is required within the articles of association of the Athletics Association of Ireland that all of its affiliated members agree to be bound by the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sports.
