Sports Organisations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2016

Tuesday, 8 November 2016

Questions (476, 477, 478)

Clare Daly

Question:

476. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 899 of 27 September 2016, the grounds on which a national governing body that did not allow any democratic participation of members could have been recognised as a national governing body by Sport Ireland, formerly the Irish Sports Council, under previously existing guidelines; and the checks in such circumstances that were performed by his Department and Sport Ireland regarding the way public funds given to such a national governing body were spent. [33442/16]

Clare Daly

Question:

477. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it has always been the case that an organisation (details supplied) has been required to supply his Department with minutes of its AGM that verify that the national governing body in question is accountable to its membership with regards to the key affairs of the association. [33443/16]

Clare Daly

Question:

478. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the fact that, despite a recommendation (details supplied) by the then chairman of the then Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, the matter is still outstanding and has not been resolved, nor has funding been withdrawn from the organisation despite a lack of resolution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33444/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 476 to 478, inclusive, together.

Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the promotion, development and co-ordination of sport. This includes responsibility for the recognition of sporting organisations as National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) and the allocation of funding to NGBs.

I have referred the Deputy's questions to Sport Ireland for direct response. I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received within 10 days.

I am informed by Sport Ireland that the matters raised in the correspondence from the Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee to the then Irish Sports Council (now Sport Ireland) were addressed in the Council's reply to the Joint Oireachtas Committee in November 2009.

The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.