Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring TD, announced that the Sport Ireland Bill 2014 has completed its passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas.The purpose of the Bill is to provide for the establishment of a new body, Sport Ireland, which will replace the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority.
Minister Ring said: ‘I am very pleased that this important piece of legislation has been passed with the broad support of members of the Oireachtas. The passage of this Bill will allow us to press ahead now with the important transition to the new Body. With the establishment of Sport Ireland, we are merging the experience and expertise of two bodies who have delivered a lot for sport in recent years. The establishment of Sport Ireland is a positive move for Irish sport and I am confident that the good work that is being done will continue into the future under the new Sport Ireland structure.’
The Minister said that the plan is to appoint an interim CEO shortly to oversee the transition, and to work with the Public Appointments Service to identify Board Members, with a view to having the new body established in July.
Information Note on Sport Ireland Bill
The Bill provides for the establishment of Sport Ireland and for the dissolution of the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority. It gives effect to the Government decision to merge the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority, which was one of the measures included in the Government’s programme for the rationalisation of State agencies.
The establishment of Sport Ireland brings responsibility for sports matters together under one agency. Sport Ireland will take on the relevant functions currently performed by the Council and the Authority.
The Bill combines and updates the main provisions of the Irish Sports Council Act, 1999 and the National Sports Campus Development Authority Act 2006. It also takes account of the substantial developments in the area of doping in sport since the Irish Sports Council Act, 1999 was enacted. The Bill includes provisions which ensure the statutory underpinning of the existing national Anti-Doping Programme and the Irish Anti-Doping Rules which underpin the Programme. It also provides for information-sharing with certain bodies for the purpose of combating doping in sport.