Dáil Committee to discuss impact of Covid-19 on sport

The Committee meeting, which will be chaired by Cavan-Monaghan TD Niamh Smyth, will begin at 2.55pm in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House.

The Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht will today meet with representatives of the Federation of Irish Sport to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on sporting organisations and organised sporting events.

The Federation will be represented by its CEO Mary O’Connor, who will be joined by Niamh Daffy, CEO, CARA; Hamish McAdams, CEO, Athletics Ireland; David McGill, CEO, Badminton Ireland; and Peter Conway, Chairperson, Swim Ireland.

The Committee meeting, which will be chaired by Cavan-Monaghan TD Niamh Smyth, will begin at 2.55pm in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House.

Ahead of the meeting, Deputy Smyth said: “Covid-19 has impacted sport across the country, from children’s club games to elite professional athletes. Irish people love sport and since the pandemic struck they have been denied to the opportunity to go to games and experience the excitement of watching their club, county or provinces in action.”

She added: “This lack of spectators has hurt our clubs and sporting organisations hard in terms of lost revenues which will see many of them struggle with their finances in the weeks and months ahead. This is the Committee’s first public meeting of this Dáil and Seanad, and Members are anxious to hear the views of the representatives of the Federation of Irish Sport on how Covid-19 has impacted its member organisations and their sporting events.”

The Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.