andMr. L'Estrange asked the Taoiseach if in view of the growing public disquiet over the failure of Irish competitors to win honours in the recent Olympic Games and the consequent blow to national prestige abroad, the Government propose to establish a commission of inquiry into the present state of amateur sport and organised physical recreation in Ireland for the purpose of setting forth constructive guidelines towards the future, similar to those outlined in Great Britain by a similar commission.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Commission on Sport.
1.
I would refute any implication in the Deputies' Question that, because the Irish team did not gain medals in the recent Olympic Games, their participation failed to win them honours. I think the Deputies are mistaken in thinking that there is any significant public disquiet on the subject.
The establishment of a commission of inquiry or similar body cannot be considered without reference to the existing situation amongst athletic and sporting organisations. The Government would not undertake an initiative in these matters in the absence of agreed proposals from the major athletic and sporting organisations.
Surely the Taoiseach is aware that men like Bob Tisdall, Pat O'Callaghan, Ronnie Delany and others brought honour and glory to Ireland in the past at the Olympic Games, where the Tricolour blew in the breeze along with the flags of bigger nations? Surely, the Taoiseach is aware that the amateur bodies associated with the Olympic Games and helping to promote athletics and so on in this country have been crying out for more State aid for the past few years? Surely, the Taoiseach realises that, when other countries are spending such vast sums, our country should give more help to those amateur bodies in order to try to put Ireland on the map in future and give our athletes at least good training and preparation before they go to the Games?
There would be very few who would be more interested than I am in the promotion of athletics of all kinds in this country. I would dearly love to see Irish athletes attain highest standards in as many fields of athletic activity as would be possible. As far as the background is concerned, we have, as I have indicated in reply to previous Parliamentary Questions the other day, initiated a very progressive programme of physical education in the Department of Education which I hope will have its effect in the long run. The Deputy in his original Question refers to a commission. He seems to ignore the fact that there are certain difficulties obtaining within the sphere of athletics and sporting organisations in this country.
They are patched up since last year.
I am glad to say that I played some part in the patching up but there are other differences, as the Deputy knows, between the Gaelic Athletic Association and other sporting organisations and when it comes to the subvention of sport the Deputy will readily appreciate the difficulty involved in the subvention of one and not another. As I said in my reply, as far as a commission is concerned, if it could be initiated by agreement with all sporting organisations, certainly, the Government would be glad to help if such a commission is in operation but unless and until that could happen, it would be invidious for the Government to undertake such a task.
The Taoiseach is aware that in other countries athletes were seconded from their work and prepared for the Olympic Games for as long as a year and in many cases much longer? Our athletes who went abroad had to work up to a week before they left and could not be allowed off from work. Could not some arrangement be made, when a team is picked five or six months before the Games, that through Government help they could be allowed off in order to get proper training before going abroad to participate in these very important Games in which they could bring honour and renown to the country?
I do not think that is the kind of amateurism that would appeal to the great majority of the Irish people. The Irish people indulge in athletics and sport for fun, and participation is more important to most of them than the winning.
Prestige is important, too.
Prestige is important, I admit, but we did not suffer any loss of prestige by not winning gold medals in the Olympics. We would gain, perhaps, some prestige if we had. On the other hand, there are many nations with much greater resources who did no better in the recent Olympics than we did. When it comes to specialisation, the greatest middle distance runner in the world, Ron Clarke, because of the atmospheric conditions, failed to get a medal. Because we have not this ultra specialisation, the failure of some of our athletes need not be attributed to that fact; I think it can be attributed to climatic conditions.
We could do better.
We could do better with more intensive training I agree, but I suggest that the type of amateur status which involves the six months or the one year's leave of absence, as happened in one case where a man won a major event, would not be acceptable to the vast majority of Irish people.
Is the Taoiseach——
We cannot debate this question all day. We have 133 questions.
Is the Taoiseach not aware that when Olympic honours were brought back to this country in the 'thirties it was because O'Callaghan and Tisdall had taken part in intensive training at Ballybunion?
At least we should not be so quick to sell our best Irish horses.
(Interruptions.)