Minister talks a good Games

PARALYMPIC GAMESBY AND LARGE, sports reporters are shielded from daily contact with the Leinster House sound-bite or, more recently, constant focus on the economic downturn. This was not the case yesterday, however, as Minister for Sport Martin Cullen was present at the announcement for the Irish Paralympics team for the Beijing Games.

Minister Cullen seems enthusiastic about his new post but, when he slipped into the obligatory line from those in charge of the Sports portfolio - "In 1997 the Government sports budget was €17 million but today it is €336 million" - the mind inevitably wandered back to his predecessor's predecessor, John O'Donoghue, now ensconced as Ceann Comhairle,

The above figures undoubtedly refer to a significant increase, but they also highlight how grossly underfunded sport was at the dawn of the wealthiest period in the Republic's history.

Yesterday in Dublin's Conrad hotel, Minister Cullen was asked about the potential effects of the economic slump on sports budgets.

"Well, my desire is to maintain the level of funding that we have built up. I think we have a very high base and we need to keep that base in place. As I said, the 17 million in 1997 is up to 336 million this year. A lot of that goes to Lansdowne Road as well."

The London Olympics in 2012 brings obvious opportunities in an Irish context but no firm Government plan seems in place.

But back to budgetary concerns.

"I wouldn't accept that sport will be one of the first things to be cut. Clearly we have to look at the adjustments that have to be made across all the problems. My problems won't be immune to that.

"However, my job now is to make sure that we protect the level of funding that we've built up in sport. We've made a huge commitment."

Sports Council chief executive John Treacy highlighted the economic benefits from sport as laid out in the 2005 ERSI report.

"That factor has to be always considered. The whole social aspect of sport as well and in a modern society the social capital side cannot be forgotten because sport is something that binds communities together. My argument is we should be increasing the budget for sport."

Forty-five Irish athletes across nine sports will represent Ireland at the Beijing Games, which begin on September 6th. Over €4.28 million has been invested in Paralympic sport since 2005.

Ireland team

ARCHERY (1)

Seán Heary (Meath: men's compound)

ATHLETICS (10)

Jason Smyth (Derry: 100m, 200m),

Michael McKillop (Antrim: 800m),

Roy Guerin (Kerry: 100m), Garrett Culliton (Laois: discus), John McCarthy (Cork: discus, club), Eoin Cleare (Offaly: shot put), Catherine Wayland (Wexford: discus), Orla Barry (Cork: discus),

Lisa Callaghan (Meath, javelin),

Patrice Dockery (Dublin 100m, 200m & 400m)

BOCCIA (4)

Padraic Moran (Wicklow), Gabriel Shelly (Carlow), Roberta Connolly(Dublin), Tom Leahy (Cork)

CYCLING (4)

Michael Delaney (Dublin: 1km time-trial, individual pursuit, tandem sprint, individual time-trial, road race). Enda Smyth (Dublin: 1km time-trial, individual pursuit, individual-time trial, road race)

Cathal Miller (Dublin: 1km time-trial, individual pursuit, individual time-trial, road race).Catherine Walsh (Dublin: 1km time-trial, individual pursuit, individual time-trial, road race)

EQUESTRIAN (1)

Eilish Byrne (Armagh: team, championship & freestyle tests)

SAILING (5)

John Twomey (Cork: two-person keelboat, Amy Kelehan (Dublin: two-person keelboat),Paul McCarthy (Cork: three-person keelboat),Paul Ryan (Cork: three-person keelboat), Richard Whealey (Cork: three-person keelboat)

SEVEN-A-SIDE SOCCER (12)

Aidan Brennan (Dublin), Paul Dollard (Dublin), Luke Evans (Dublin), Finbarr O'Riordan (Cork), Mark Jones (Belfast), Gary Messitt (Wicklow), Kieran Devlin (Dublin), Brian McGillivary(Dublin),

Joseph Markey (Monaghan), Derek Malone (Clare), lan O'Hara (Dublin), Darren Kavanagh (Dublin)

SWIMMING (6)

David Malone (Dublin: 100m backstroke)

Jonathan Cummings (Tyrone:400m freestyle, 100m backstroke), Stephen Campbell (Tyrone: 100m butterfly, 400m freestyle), Darragh McDonald (Wexford:400m freestyle), Ellen Keane (Dublin: 100m butterfly, 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley), Hannah Clarke (Belfast: 100m breaststroke)

TABLE TENNIS (2)

Eimear Breathnach (Dublin: women's individual and TT1-3 team), Kathleen Reynolds (Dublin: women's individual and TT1-3 team)