Bernard Allen
Ceist:49 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will give details of the national drug testing programme. [19884/99]
Written Answers. - Sports Anti-Doping Programme.
Michael D. Higgins
Ceist:61 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when he expects to introduce legislation to criminalise the use of drugs in sport. [19918/99]
Brian O'Shea
Ceist:63 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the discussions, if any, he has had with the Department of Education and Science in relation to the introduction of measures to discourage young athletes and sports people, attending our schools, from using drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19906/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 61 and 63 together.
My abhorrence of drug taking within sport and my commitment to do all within my power to help eliminate this scourge is well known. Last year I announced details of Ireland's first ever national sports anti-doping programme. The programme was circulated to interested parties, including the national governing bodies of sport, which will be responsible for applying sanctions in accordance with their own rules and regulations to any player-athlete found in breach of anti-doping regulations. The programme has been designed with reference to the Council of Europe anti-doping convention, 1989, which seeks a three strand approach to the reduction of doping in sport, namely, testing, research and educational programmes and information campaigns.
Section 6(1)(d) of the Irish Sports Council Act, 1999, gives statutory responsibility to the council, established on 1 July last, to take whatever action it considers appropriate, including testing, to combat doping in sport. Last month, the Sports Council signed an agreement with International Doping Tests and Management of Sweden for the provision of a sample collection service as part of the testing programme. Arrangements for the securing of a laboratory to analyse the samples and for a company to transport the samples to the laboratory are well advanced and the council expects that agreements for both will be finalised in the coming weeks.
The Sports Council will also be hosting a major education conference in early November for national governing body administrators, anti-doping officers, medical officers, national coaches and sports persons. The conference will outline in detail the various elements of the programme and its operation and will also deal with many important issues that are vital for a successful anti-doping programme.
Membership of the council's anti-doping committee was also finalised in September and Dr. Conor O'Brien was appointed as its chairman. The committee will advise and assist the council on policy formulation relating to the three strands of testing, education and research required and it will also advise and assist the council's staff on policy implementation issues.
Education has an important role to play in creating a sporting environment that fosters the pursuit of excellence and fulfilment in sport by fair and ethical means – as recognised by the Council of Europe anti-doping convention, 1989. The Sports Council's anti-doping programme has been designed to encompass broad educational programmes and informational campaigns. The council will emphasise the dangers to health inherent in doping and its harm to the ethical values of sport and the potential health risks in the misuse of other products such as food supplements. It is expected that the Sports Council will be developing campaigns in co-operation with the National Coaching and Training Centre, Limerick, the national governing bodies and the health promotion unit of the Department of Health and Children to take advantage of that unit's considerable experience in promulgating health education campaigns. The question of consultation with the Department of Education and Science will be brought to the attention of the council also.
While my core objective is the introduction of the national sports anti-doping programme, which is predicated on active participation of autonomous national governing bodies of sport, the measures in the programme might be complemented through the application of certain legislative based measures. A number of options have been identified which I and my officials are pursuing – most specifically in the area of possession and supply of certain performance enhancing drugs. I have had discussions with my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, with regard to incorporating certain substances used in sport under Ireland's general drugs legislation. Discussions are at an advanced stage with regard to the types of drugs used for the enhancement of sport performances that may be suitable for inclusion in the Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act. It is expected that the Act will be amended by year end.
I consider that amending general drugs legislation to include certain performance enhancing drugs will send a strong signal to those coaches, trainers, athletes and any other persons found in possession of such specified drugs that they will, in future, be committing an offence under Irish law and be subject to the full rigours of that law.
Drug abuse in sport, of its nature, cannot be tackled at the national level only. Doping in sport is an international problem which requires a concerted and co-ordinated response at international level. This has been acknowledged at European level where the EU has committed itself to work with sports organisations in the fight against doping in sport. At the instigation of EU Sports Ministers, the European Commission has established a working group, composed of officials of member states, to assist in preparing a report on harmonising both national and European assistance for doping control. We should work collectively to address these issues.