Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
335. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the sporting activities that qualify as elite as per the Covid-19 guidelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21185/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraA limited exemption is in place to enable high performance sportspeople to continue their sporting activities, principally focused on allowing our high performance athletes and teams to qualify and prepare effectively for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The applicable definition is that contained in the relevant public health regulations (Statutory Instrument No. 168 of 2021), namely those athletes that:
- are in receipt of financial support provided by Sport Ireland under the scheme commonly known and referred to as the Sport Ireland International Carding Scheme
- compete at a senior level and are participants in a high performance training programme of the national governing body of the sport, which body receives, from Sport Ireland, financial support commonly known and referred to as the Sport Ireland High Performance Programme Funding
- are professional sportspersons who receive payment for training and playing sport under a contract of employment with a soccer club or the rugby football organisation commonly known and referred to as the Irish Rugby Football Union
- are members of an inter-county team, at senior level, in a competition organised by the organisations commonly known and referred to as the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association or the Camogie Association
Additionally, Sport Ireland may, in consultation the Health Service Executive, provide certification to additional High Performance or Pathway athletes. These are athletes that represent or have the potential to represent Ireland at an internationally competitive level. Any athlete seeking certification under these legislative provisions should in the first instance apply to their National Governing Body. Sport Ireland assesses each application in accordance with the provisions and criteria set out in the above-mentioned Regulations.
This definition is established to provide a mechanism to exempt a limited group of individuals to operate during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is not intended to represent a universal definition of high performance and professional athletes but rather reflects the Government's prioritisation in this matter.
