Sinn Féin spokesperson on Sport, Chris Andrews TD, has called for a radical overhaul of sports funding and long-term planning to ensure the sector can reach its full potential.

Speaking today, Teachta Andrews said:

“Today, Olympic gold medalist Kellie Harrington arrives home to a hero’s welcome in Dublin. Her community is rightly very proud of her and all of her incredible achievements.

“I want to extend my congratulations to her and pay tribute to all the hard work she put in to secure her tremendous success. I know many young girls and boys right across the country will be inspired by her achievements and that interest in boxing in particular will get a great boost.

“If we are serious about ensuring that the sports stars of the future get the fair chance and the proper opportunities that they deserve, we have to ensure that the right supports and funding are available.

“Far too often, talented and hardworking sportspeople across the country don’t get the investment they need and should be entitled to. We need to put in place long-term planning and funding to address this inequality.

“This must include long-term planning, to allow the sector to plan years at a time, rather than living year to year without knowing what funding will be available to them. Such a short-term approach makes life very difficult for our athletes, their coaches and their wider clubs.

“Next week, I am proud to be launching a policy document on behalf of Sinn Féin which sets out how we can invest properly and fairly in the sports stars of tomorrow. The government cannot be complacent about this and must ensure the appropriate resources and structures are in place. I will be engaging with the government and calling on them to act on my proposals.”