Bernard Allen
Ceist:308 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has recently formally met the BLÉ. [21176/98]
Written Answers - Meetings with Sports Bodies.
Bernard Allen
Ceist:309 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has recently formally met with the Irish Rugby Football Union. [21175/98]
Bernard Allen
Ceist:310 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has recently formally met with the Football Association of Ireland. [21174/98]
Bernard Allen
Ceist:311 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has recently formally met with the GAA. [21173/98]
Bernard Allen
Ceist:312 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has met with the GAA to discuss future development plans. [20068/98]
Bernard Allen
Ceist:313 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has met with BLÉ to discuss its future development plans. [20067/98]
Bernard Allen
Ceist:314 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has met with the Irish Rugby Football Union to discuss its future development plans. [20066/98]
Bernard Allen
Ceist:315 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has met with the Football Association of Ireland to discuss its development plans. [20065/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314 and 315 together.
On 28 November I hosted a one day conference to which all national governing bodies were invited, to update them on policy developments. Representatives of the GAA, FAI and BLE were amongst the attendees and the GAA were one of three governing bodies who made presentations on their development plans.
The conference followed a full found of bi—lateral meetings with the executive chairman of the Irish Sports Council on strategic planning within the individual governing bodies.
While I have myself also had formal meetings with the FAI on 2 October 1997 and with BLE on 8 July 1998 to discuss certain matters relating to the future development of their respective sports, including matters such as event planning, restructuring etc. I have had no specific request for similar meetings from either the GAA or the IRFU.