Commonwealth Games:  Team NI

Private Members' Business – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 3:45 pm on 30 September 2014.

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Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP 3:45, 30 September 2014

The Business Committee has agreed to allow one hour and 30 minutes for this debate.  The proposer of the motion will have 10 minutes to propose and 10 minutes to make a winding-up speech.  All other Members who wish to speak will have five minutes.

Photo of Gregory Campbell Gregory Campbell DUP

I beg to move

That this Assembly recognises the tremendous achievement of the entire Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team at the recent Glasgow games, in particular the boxing team; congratulates all those involved; and calls on the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to urgently reassess other sports that might be expected to excel in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and ensure the appropriate training, resources and facilities are in place to maximise our medal return in 2018.

It is with considerable joy that I move the motion.  This is a moment of rejoicing across Northern Ireland, and it has been so since the Commonwealth Games took place because of the success of the participants.  It was a substantial improvement on previous performances, and while I will not spend undue time naming each of them, they are worth mentioning. 

The gold medal winners were Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlon.  The silver medal winners were:  at boxing, Michaela Walsh and Joe Fitzpatrick; and in the men's triples at lawn bowls, Neil Booth, Paul Daly and Neil Mullholland.  The bronze medal winners were:  in boxing, Alanna Audley-Murphy, Steven Donnelly, Connor Coyle, Sean Duffy and Sean McGlinchy; Lisa Kearney in judo; and, in the women's pairs in lawn bowls, Barbara Cameron and Mandy Cunningham.  They were symptomatic of the success of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team. 

However, what we are really endeavouring to do with this motion is not just to commend the team.  We should do that, and it already has been done by the Department, the Minister, and the First Minister and deputy First Minister.  It is right, proper and entirely appropriate that the entire country congratulates those who took part, particularly the medal winners.

We are looking ahead because, while everyone participated well — there were personal bests even amongst those who did not win medals — we always aspire to do even better.  That is in the context of improved participation in sporting activity amongst young people, but, at the same time as that improvement in sporting activity, we have what amounts to a veritable explosion in obesity rates amongst our young.  So, we almost have this dichotomy between having an excellent performance at the games and increasing participation rates in sporting activity amongst young people and, at the same time, young people generally becoming more obese, with a sedentary lifestyle becoming more and more prevalent.  So, we have to try not only to improve our athletes at the top but to ensure that, right across the spectrum, people become more active. 

On a personal note, I enjoy walking, and I find that, when I am out walking in the summer, quite a few people are also out walking, but between now and April, unfortunately, the numbers who engage in such physical activity will decline considerably, until the lighter evenings and the better weather return.  So, we have to ensure — I hope that the Minister will respond to this — that, right across the board, we get greater participation levels across society as a whole, but particularly amongst our young people. 

In addition to that — this is why, towards the end of the motion, we inserted:

"ensure the appropriate training, resources and facilities are in place to maximise" those participating at the top end in the likes of the Commonwealth Games and even the next Olympic Games.  It should not be forgotten that, prior to the Commonwealth Games, our rowing fraternity, particularly those from my constituency of East Londonderry, had fantastic success at the Olympic Games.  As a result of that, we saw a significant increase in the numbers of young people taking up rowing.  So, this has an effect; success breeds success.  We find that people take up a sport that they perhaps thought was not the sport for them as a result of online and TV coverage during which they see someone whom they know is good at that sport. 

So, we want to hear from the Minister about the Department's strategic plan to build on the success demonstrated at the Commonwealth Games this time.  For example, the news about the tremendous success of our boxing team went across not just the UK and the Commonwealth but the wider world.  They did — to use a pun — punch well above their weight.  For a country the size of ours, the boxers were outstanding — absolutely outstanding.  Yet, there are a lot of other sporting disciplines in which we can improve significantly and reach the boxing equivalent.  Again, we need resources and a strategy, and we need to see the design that will put that in place over an incremental period of the next few years.

We saw the Scots athletes excel in Scotland.  Of course, you would expect them to excel, given that they were on home soil.  However, in addition to the athletes playing at home, the Scottish Government and Parliament deployed sufficient resources over the previous four-year period to ensure that they were better placed to succeed in Scotland in 2014.  So, that is what we need to see. 

We need to target obesity and diabetes amongst the young.  All those issues can be tackled with a greater, more significant participation level at primary-school level and post-primary-school level, as young people move into preparation for the sporting activities that they would like to participate in.  Then, those who are regarded as excellent prospects can be nurtured, and the tremendous facility that we have at Jordanstown can be fully utilised in order to get the cream of the crop for Australia in four years' time.  Hopefully, those of us or whoever is here in the next few years after the Olympic Games and, in four years' time, after the next Commonwealth Games will be able to report an even better performance than that which took place in Scotland in 2014.  Hopefully, we can also report that obesity among children is on the decline as a result of a targeted strategy by the Department and the contribution that we all make towards achieving that very worthwhile objective.

Photo of Rosaleen McCorley Rosaleen McCorley Sinn Féin 4:00, 30 September 2014

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.  Tá mé buíoch as an deis labhairt sa díospóireacht seo.  I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate.  I support the motion.  Tá mé i bhfách leis an rún seo inniu.  Mar atá ráite sa rún, ba mhaith linn comghairdeas ó chroí a ghabháil lenár lúthchleasaithe, mná agus fir, a ghlac páirt sna Cluichí Comhlathais i nGlaschú i mbliana.  As the motion states, we wish to extend sincere congratulations to the local sportsmen and sportswomen who competed in Glasgow's Commonwealth Games 2014.  Their achievements were outstanding overall.  I am sure that no one will mind if we make special mention of the tremendous success of local boxers.  I would like to mention all the medal winners, who include Lisa Kearney, who won a medal in judo, and Neil Booth, Neil Mulholland, Paul Daly, Barbara Cameron and Mandy Cunningham who won in bowling.  Agus, ar ndóigh, ár ndornálaithe iontacha, and of course, our fantastic boxers Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlon, Joe Fitzpatrick, Michaela Walsh, Steven Donnelly, Sean Duffy, Connor Coyle, Sean McGlinchey and Alanna Audley-Murphy.  Despite not making it on to the medal table, other competitors also excelled in sports such as running, badminton, netball, wrestling and triathlon. 

Recognition must also go to support staff, trainers, coaches, families and friends, who rightly deserve to be commended for their roles in the great achievements of our athletes.  Such achievements are a source of great pride for us all, and we should continue to encourage and support those athletes in whatever way we can in their pursuit of sporting excellence.  We should also, as the motion states, seek to identify other sports where possibilities might exist to excel if given the right support and opportunities. 

Sport NI is the body whose responsibility it is to promote a culture of lifelong enjoyment and success in sport, which contributes to a healthy, fair and prosperous society.  I do not think that we can overemphasise the health aspects of this, particularly given the rise in diseases like diabetes and heart disease.  It is important therefore that we encourage everyone to take part in physical activity, whether in competitive sport or not. 

Dúirt Antoinette McKeown, príomh-fheidhmeannach, go bhfuil eagraíocht s’aici tiomanta do rath a bhaint amach sa spórt mar an gnáthrud seachas an eisceacht.  The chief executive of Sport NI, Antoinette McKeown, stated recently that her organisation is committed to the achievement of success in sport being the norm rather than the exception.  She went on to say that a very detailed review of the Commonwealth Games performance would be carried out in order to set targets for future games, identify where resources can be best used and learn particular lessons from the success of boxing in Glasgow this year.  This review will be very important and will include participation from the Commonwealth Games Council and the governing bodies of all the sports.  As I have stated, a clear focus will be on the boxing success, which was absolutely phenomenal this year. 

Mar is eol dúinn agus mar a thuigtear go maith do chách, níor tharla na torthaí seo de thaisme.  As everyone involved knows and understands only too well, these results did not come about by accident.  The individual boxers, of course, were pivotal to their own success, but without the support structures around them, such as good coaches, training facilities, physiologists, nutritionists, sports psychologists and vital family support, the chances are that they may well not have had such major achievements.  That will therefore be hugely central to the forthcoming corporate plan for 2015-19.

The job will be to ensure that all those key support elements are in place for each of the identified sports so that they can, at the very least, be in with the best sporting chance for the 2018 games and any other major competitions in the calendar.

If our sporting network is to reach its full potential, one issue that it will be important to tackle is the under-representation of women as sporting participants, coaches and representatives on sports governing bodies.  When it comes to equality, there must be a focus on strategies to increase the involvement of women in local sport.

As the motion states, there needs to be a reassessment of other sports that might be expected to excel in 2018.  We fully expect Sport NI's review to flag up the ones that will have most to gain from an injection of appropriate training, resources and facilities.  If the appropriate supports are put in place, we should rightly expect that athletes will emerge who will hopefully maximise our medal return in 2018.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP

Will the Member bring her remarks to a close?

Photo of Rosaleen McCorley Rosaleen McCorley Sinn Féin

I commend the motion to the House.  Molaim an rún.

Photo of Karen McKevitt Karen McKevitt Social Democratic and Labour Party

I support the motion, as I am a firm believer that sporting excellence and achievement should be recognised and celebrated.  Each of the 117 local athletes who participated in 14 sports over 11 days of competition in Glasgow deserves recognition.  All were very dedicated and trained hard to qualify for the Commonwealth Games team.  All played their part and represented Northern Ireland with distinction, pride and commitment.  I commend them all.

The motion singles out the boxing team, and so it should.  The boxers' haul of two gold, two silver and five bronze medals — a total of nine for the 11 competitors — was phenomenal.  Northern Ireland team captain, Paddy Barnes, deserves a special mention not only for winning gold but for leading and motivating the whole team through their best ever Commonwealth Games.  I also give special mention to Michaela Walsh, as I believe that she has put the sport of women's boxing on a new level.

It is most appropriate that we are discussing sporting success and recognising achievement today, given the sporting weekend that we have just had.  Our top golfers, Rory and Graeme, played a major role in helping Europe retain the Ryder Cup. Maybe even more important, Mr Deputy Speaker, we saw County Down win its first ever All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies' Football Championship against a very good Fermanagh team.  Congratulations to them and to the Down camogs, who won the junior intermediate all-Ireland title the weekend before.

The most important part of the motion may be the call on DCAL to reassess urgently other sports and ensure that the appropriate training, resources and facilities are in place to maximise our medal return in 2018.  Yes, we did good, but, you know what, we could do better.  While recognising and commending coaches, medical personnel, support staff and team management, along with the governing bodies and sponsors supporting our athletes and their families, the House and the Government have a responsibility to play their part in supporting sport.  There is no doubt that we could do better.  Many sports are underfunded, and facilities are dismal when compared with other Commonwealth nations. I look forward to the assessment, which will, I think, highlight opportunities for improvement, some of which may cost very little if we speed up the sharing of facilities between the likes of Jordanstown and Queen's University, which has been mentioned previously, as well as school and gym facilities and pitches.

Photo of Michael McGimpsey Michael McGimpsey UUP

I support the motion.  It is a valuable one that highlights the value and importance of sport in our society among our young people and our population as a whole, the importance of strategies around fitness and the need to seriously engage in physical activity to promote good health.  When I was in the Department of Health, we had a policy called Fit Futures.  It was very much about encouraging our population to engage in physical activity, not least because of the challenge of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other serious conditions.

The Commonwealth Games are about more than that.  They are about promoting elite sports.  They are about the best and the brightest in each of the sports coming forward to represent their country.  It is important that we invest in that.  It is not only about public health and fitness in the general population; it is about targeting and concentrating on the individuals who can represent at that very high level.  We have seen that at the Commonwealth Games, and we have seen that not least with Paddy Barnes and the boxers but with other sports as well.

A key element of this is that we have sports that we show we can do well in.  We can be proud of our achievements at the Commonwealth Games, but there is huge potential still waiting to be given the opportunity.  For example, at the Commonwealth Games, we had the ability to put in a Northern Ireland rugby team, but that did not appear.  Yet, look at the investment that the House has made in rugby in Northern Ireland in the past two or three years — around £15 million in the Ravenhill stadium alone.  Hockey is another sport in which our men and women excel and are known internationally.  Of course, there has been mention of golf.  The Ryder Cup is a biennial tournament and is one of the most important in the world.  It was led by two of our golfers — Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, the world number one.  That demonstrates that we have huge potential.  When you look at our achievements in the past and you look at people like Tony McCoy, the greatest jockey in the world, or Carl Frampton, a world champion, you see that we have a pantheon of achievement in sport. 

The key thing is ensuring that barriers to access to sport are broken down, that we have fairness, equality and investment in areas and that no one feels disadvantaged.  I have to remind the Minister of the situation of Sandy Row Amateur Boxing Club, which has been subject, over the years, to sustained sectarian and racist abuse, proven by an independent review, on a number of occasions.  The point is this: where are we going from here?  One of the boxers who achieved a medal in Glasgow was a Sandy Row boxer, and there are youngsters in that area and in other areas who would love the opportunity to represent their country.  The fact is that that boxing club is currently not allowed to access funding because it is not affiliated with the boxing federation, which oversaw the sectarian abuse in the first place.  We have a situation in which that boxing club is excluded. This is an issue of fairness.  I have to say to the Minister that, if it was a boxing club in her constituency, I do not think that I would be talking about it in these terms; I think that it would be dealt with properly. 

It seems to me that sport is the key area where our society can come together.  It is the key area where we can see partnership, representing our community where we are all proud of the achievements of our sportsmen and women and we can all get behind them.  They are such an important cohesive force in our society in bringing our communities together. Fairness is another key element in this and in ensuring that barriers to access do not exist, as far as possible.  We invest, and we support.  We have much to celebrate and much to be thankful for in the achievement of our sportsmen and women.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP 4:15, 30 September 2014

Will the Member draw his remarks to a close?

Photo of Michael McGimpsey Michael McGimpsey UUP

There is so much more potential there.

Photo of Anna Lo Anna Lo Alliance

I thank the Members who tabled the motion, which has the Alliance Party's support.  First, I offer my warmest congratulations to all our athletes who competed in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.  The media coverage showed the games to be a fantastic sporting occasion, and it was wonderful to see how well it captured the public's interest.  The Northern Ireland team did us proud.  Across all sports, there were remarkable achievements, and it is fitting for us today to pay tribute to them. Secondly, I ask the Minister if a feasibility study could be carried out to see if a future Commonwealth Games could be hosted in Belfast.  We saw how wonderful and how successful the World Police and Fire Games were, and it would be brilliant to build on that.

As we know, sporting activity is not only valuable in itself but increases confidence, empathy and a sense of community.  Of course, it is not just about talent; it is about discipline, training, coaching, resources and a positive mental attitude.

Perhaps one of the most endearing qualities of people in Northern Ireland is that we are self-deprecating.  The problem is that when that translates to sport, we tend to see ourselves as the underdogs and, at times, assume that we will never be the best.  This is a shame when we consider that there are many sports in Britain in which our athletes are some of the best in the world.  A constituent, Peter Hawkins, a professional cyclist who competed for Team Northern Ireland in Glasgow, told me that this is partly down to mentality but is also due to the fact that so many other countries have better support and facilities for their athletes.  This, however, comes down to money:  better training facilities, good quality full-time coaches and travel to international competitions are all very expensive.  In Peter's opinion, however, they make a huge difference.

The ability to make a living as a full-time athlete is rare, and most athletes would need additional financial support in order to focus on their sport.  Investment in sport is hard to come by, and I am interested to know what actions the Minister has taken or will take to help our athletes to get to a position where they can concentrate on their sport without having to work part-time.  Peter also believes that more should be done to allow athletes to travel to compete against international opposition as that would allow them to get used to competing on the bigger stage.  It can also show them that the gap between where they are and where they need to be is often not as big as they think.  In an email to me, Peter wrote:

"There are some sports in which Northern Ireland is genuinely world class, for example, golf.  I'm sure a young kid taking up golf here would be thinking anything was possible ... whereas I never dreamed I'd even get to where I am now, never mind the very top of the sport.  Maybe if it hadn't been made to seem so impossible, I would've progressed a lot faster.  One of the things I take most pleasure in is showing how far you can go with hard work, persistence and belief."

We have the talent and the passion — there is no doubt about that.  We now need to focus on how we nurture that so that athletes like Peter receive all the support they deserve.

Photo of William Humphrey William Humphrey DUP

I thank the Members who tabled the motion, and I will speak in favour of it.  The names of Michael Conlan and Paddy Barnes now stand alongside those of Philip Beattie, Mike Bull, Davy Larmour, Mary Peters and Barry McGuigan in Northern Ireland's Commonwealth Games hall of fame.  I congratulate all our athletes who took part in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and commend all the officials who went along to support them.

I watched the opening ceremony when at scout camp on the Isle of Man, and the reception that our team got as it went into the stadium was second only to that of Scotland, the host nation.  Two weeks ago, with party colleagues from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure, I met representatives of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council to discuss a range of issues.  On Thursday past, Sport NI was here to discuss the same issues.  Participation in the Commonwealth Games is vital.  When the representatives of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council appeared in front of the Committee last year in the Sports Institute at Jordanstown, we were very sympathetic to what they were saying.  Clearly, they wanted to do much more.  I am sure that the Minister wants to do much more but has a very restricted budget.  I pay tribute to the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council.  The development of athletes for international competition is absolutely vital.  We will maximise the potential that Members talked about only if we maximise our participation.  It is great that we have the facility down at the Sports Institute, but we need people who train and work hard for four years.  Sadly, however, some of them are not able to compete.

Mr McGimpsey mentioned two sports — rugby sevens and hockey — which I referred to last week in Committee.  Northern Ireland is not able to take part in those sports at the Commonwealth Games, which is a huge regret.  That is politics with a small "p" interfering in sport, and that should not happen.

I, too, support Northern Ireland hosting the games, but much has to be done with our infrastructure and facilities.  Ravenhill is completed; Windsor is under way; there is development to come at Casement; and we have the Aurora swimming facility in Bangor, the Dub and the Odyssey.  We have many great facilities, but we still do not have a velodrome, and considerable improvements are required at the Mary Peters Track.  If we are ever to do that, we will need a joined-up approach.  Realistically, we need DCAL, Sport NI, local councils, universities, education and library boards and private clubs and their facilities to come together to be in a position to host the Commonwealth Games or any such major international sports event.  A considerable amount of investment is required.

I appeal to the governing bodies of hockey and rugby.  I am proud to be a part of the Northern Ireland green and white army and to support our wee country in international football.  I am saddened when a player opts not to play for Northern Ireland, but it is his or her choice.  I made this point in Committee on Thursday, and I make it again in the House today.  You can swim for Ireland or GB and take part in the Commonwealth Games; and you can box for Ireland or GB and take part in the Commonwealth Games for Northern Ireland.  However, you cannot play hockey for Ireland and play for Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games; and you can play rugby for Ireland, but you cannot take part in the rugby sevens at the Commonwealth Games.  It is about time that the Irish Rugby Football Union, whether in Dublin or the Ulster branch, and the Irish Hockey Association addressed that anomaly.

Sport NI produced a document at our Committee meeting last week, and on page 67, Iain Lewers, a great hockey player from this wee part of the world, is mentioned.  He now plays hockey along with Mark Gleghorne for England.  He is a GB player.  Two other players from Northern Ireland, Ian Sloan and David Ames, have declared for England.  They will not play international hockey for three years to enable them to become eligible to play for England.  We are missing out on an opportunity; and some sportspeople whom we are developing here are not participating for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games.  That needs to be addressed.  Angela Platt, the executive manager of Ulster Hockey, was in front of the Committee last week.  Members of the Committee will know that I asked her a question.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP

Will the Member draw his remarks to a close?

Photo of William Humphrey William Humphrey DUP

I asked her whether she missed out on the opportunity to compete in the Commonwealth Games and whether she would have wanted to.  She said that she would, but, sadly, Northern Ireland does not send a team.  It is time that that was addressed.  I support the motion.

Photo of Oliver McMullan Oliver McMullan Sinn Féin

Go raibh maith agat.  The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have just finished, with our athletes taking home a very creditable and excellent 12 medals, and our boxers took nine of that total.  For the first time at the games, female boxers also took home medals.  Athletes in other sports finished well but were just outside the medals.  Those sports included wrestling, netball, badminton and athletics.  We are already planning for the next games in 2018 and have an expectation to do better.  The motion calls on DCAL to urgently reassess other sports that might be expected to excel at the next games and to ensure that appropriate training and facilities are in place.

On 7 August 2014, Antoinette McKeown, the chief executive of Sport NI, a DCAL arm's-length body, stated that a detailed review of how each sport had performed at the games would be undertaken.  That review will help to establish where resources can best be used and spent.  Sport NI will sit down with the governing bodies of all the sports to understand the factors in the sports that have been successful and those that have not.

It is clear that Sport NI is serious about creating an environment in sport where success becomes routine.  I am pleased to hear that targets will be set for the next games in Australia and that, unlike this year, those targets will be made public.  Other sports will be encouraged to learn from the successes of our boxing squad, and the tally of two gold medals must be bettered.

Why are our boxers so successful?  What are they doing that is different from other sports?  The boxing fraternity developed a high-performance system that the boxing family bought into completely.  When you listen to any of the squad talking, you hear that they have total self-belief that they are the best, and that belief is brought into the ring with them.  That same high performance must now be installed in other sports like judo, bowls, netball etc.  When you go down and see the facilities in Jordanstown, where those high-performance athletes train — the Ulster rugby team has been down there as well — you see that we have got the basis for that.

Sport NI and DCAL have put money into our sports programme, but, next time, the lottery must put funding into sport.  That has not been mentioned here today.  For the Olympic Games in London, over £60 million was taken from us over six years as our contribution towards the cost of £2·2 billion.  If that money can be taken from us for the Olympic Games in London, surely the lottery can put some of that money back to us to build up our sports facilities like a cycling track etc.  By the way, the money that was taken from us was not returned.  We were told that it would not be returned.

We have to look at all of this.  The budget for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was £561 million, with around £460 million provided by public funds.  The Scottish Government contributed over £380 million, and Glasgow City Council contributed the rest.  No money was funded for that.  Do we have that budget?  We must look outside to get funding brought in, and the lottery has a big part to play.  As I said, we contributed £60 million to the Olympics; surely, we can get part of that back.  If they were to give us back the percentage that they took out of our total of money that we have here for our lottery, that would help to pay for quite a lot of the infrastructure that we need here to develop our sport.  Otherwise, we will be totally struggling.  For me, the key to the whole thing is funding.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP 4:30, 30 September 2014

Will the Member draw his remarks to a close?

Photo of Oliver McMullan Oliver McMullan Sinn Féin

I ask the House to look at where the lottery can play a major part here.

Photo of Nelson McCausland Nelson McCausland DUP

I support the motion.  It recognises the tremendous achievements of the entire Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team.  Obviously, it picks out the boxing team, which excelled so much in the competition.  It is right that we should recognise it, and it is right that we should congratulate all those involved and go further.  Congratulations should be given to all the participants, but especially those who achieved medal success.  Also, our congratulations go to the officials, coaches, trainers and all those who supported the athletes.

This is one of the occasions when the name "Northern Ireland" is blazoned on the sporting world.  It happens in football, where we have a Northern Ireland football team.  It also happens in the United Kingdom School Games, where a Northern Ireland team takes part.  The Commonwealth Games is another occasion and is, obviously, a much more high-profile event than the UK School Games.  It is a very important occasion when a Northern Ireland team is entered.  It is good for the athletes that they are able to enter that competition.  It is an opportunity for them to excel and show their excellence.  It is good for the sport because it raises the profile of the various sports in the country and encourages people to take up those sports.  The more a sport gets exposure in the media and the more local success there is, the more interest there is and the more participants there will be.  It is good for the country because it means that the name of Northern Ireland is out there in the media around the world and is identified with success.  It is also good for society generally here because, as was pointed out earlier by Mr McGimpsey, we live in age when there are issues with obesity and when many folk have a much more sedentary lifestyle. Role models in sport encourage participation, particularly amongst young people, and that is bound to be good for the health of Northern Ireland.

I want to pick up on the point that was made earlier by my colleague Mr Humphrey.  If we are to achieve our very best in the Commonwealth Games, it is absolutely essential that we compete in as many sports as possible.  It is just common sense that, if you do not enter as many events, you will not have the same level of success, and it is therefore particularly disappointing that it is not possible to enter a team in hockey and no team was entered in the rugby sevens.  Those issues have been around for some time.  Mr McGimpsey referred to his experience in the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, and I go back to my experience in that regard.  Then, the issue of hockey was raised.  People within the ranks of hockey and who played hockey said that they wanted to be able to enter the Commonwealth Games but could not do so.  It would make good sense for us to have a team there, so I encourage all those who can exercise influence here to work with the governing body to see what can be done to remove any obstacles and overcome any difficulties and to ensure that, by the time we get to 2018, Northern Ireland teams enter the hockey and rugby sevens competitions.

The success that we had was testimony to the dedication, skill, perseverance, talent and passion of all those in the team.  We did well, but we want to do better.  As was pointed out, Sport NI had a deputation in regard to the issue of excellence in sport and elite performance. They were with us at the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure last week, and there was a positive response from the chief executive of Sport NI and from the others in that deputation.  They were all very positive about ensuring that we can enter teams in hockey and rugby sevens in 2018.

Photo of Dominic Bradley Dominic Bradley Social Democratic and Labour Party

Go raibh míle maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.  Tá mé buíoch as an deis labhairt sa díospóireacht seo faoi na Cluichí Comhlathais.  Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak in this debate on the Commonwealth Games.  The 2014 Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team achieved its best result since 1986 in the Edinburgh games.  In fact, it could be said that the team achieved its best result ever.  I say that because the 1986 games, if you remember, was the only time that Northern Ireland achieved a larger medal haul, but the games that year were less competitive.  They were shrouded in controversy and subject to a wide political boycott, with 32 of the eligible 59 countries staying away due to Margaret Thatcher's Government's policy of maintaining sporting links with apartheid South Africa.

In any case, thankfully, this year's games and the Northern Ireland team demonstrated the power of sport as a unifying force.  The men and women of the team — some of whom compete for Ireland in the Olympics, others for Great Britain and Northern Ireland — brilliantly represented the people of this part of the world.  I hope that that spirit will continue and be encouraged across all our sporting codes.  For example, I am heartened that the GAA will soon play at Ravenhill rugby ground for the first time in an all-star event that is being spearheaded by Anto Finnegan to raise much-needed funds for motor neurone disease, which, of course, is a hugely important cause.  I hope that that is another sign of the burgeoning relationship between Irish rugby and the GAA, which will hopefully bring the Rugby World Cup to Ireland in 2023.

I also note the participation in the Commonwealth Games of Caroline O'Hanlon, the captain of the Armagh ladies' Gaelic football team.  She was a Member of the Northern Ireland netball team that also excelled during the Games, even though they were not medal winners.

As other Members have said, there was great teamwork from the Northern Irish competitors at the games, in particular from the bowlers, who came home with two team medals.  That teamwork also extended to the preparation for the boxing ring and, as many others have said, culminated in our boxers picking up three more boxing medals than their previous best haul.

With such successes from our athletes, I am happy to support the motion and its call for the:

"appropriate training, resources and facilities ... to maximise our medal return", not just on the Gold Coast in 2018 but in all upcoming global sporting tournaments.  I am looking forward to Brazil 2016, when hopefully we will see our former world champion cyclist Martyn Irvine achieve his best, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy make their Olympic debuts and Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan go for gold.

Gan tuilleadh moille, tá mé an-sásta tacaíocht a thabhairt don rún.  With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the motion.

Photo of Basil McCrea Basil McCrea NI21

I have to say that I think that we are deluding ourselves.  I have listened to the rhetoric in the Chamber and the platitudes about how well we did.  You really have to say to yourself that we fund 42 sports — 28 elite sports — and if you were to take boxing out of our medal total, you would have precious little return for that.

I commend the proposer of the motion for tabling it.  I was quite taken, as I said in Committee, by what Mr Humphrey had to say.  There are a number of issues that we have not addressed.  Some really important issues have not been taken on board.  I refer to the document that is known as SPLiSS.  Some issues come out here when we talk about pillar one, finance:

"There is a reasonable argument to suggest that Northern Ireland subsidises the rest of the UK as it benefits less from UK Sport funding than other nations, notably England."

What is the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure going to do about that, as she has been exhorted to do by her party colleagues?

The document continues:

"There is an acceptance that the funding for elite sport in Northern Ireland is modest compared with other nations and does not necessarily match Northern Ireland’s ambitions in sport."

That is a failure in our structural approach.  Our:

"inability to generate funding from other sources such as sponsorship and media rights" is also a problem.  One of the key issues that we could deal with is, I think, the point that Mr Humphrey made — he certainly made it in Committee.  It says in the document in front of us here — our strategic approach:

"Many recognised governing bodies in Northern Ireland are actually branches of an all-Ireland or UK national governing body and therefore may present challenges for the planning, coordination and delivery of their sport."

That is the elephant in the room:  we have no strategic vision for sport in this land.  We have all-Ireland bodies, UK bodies, different bodies, but there is no great vision to take us forward.  All we get is empty rhetoric where people try to cling on to the coat-tails of people who succeed in sport, largely because of their own ability.

There are some suggestions for improvement in this document:

"Greater certainty in the planning process as DCAL and its non-departmental funded bodies are often subject to funding uncertainty from Exchequer funds and also National Lottery ticket sales."

"Greater incentives... to contribute funding to elite sport."

These are issues that DCAL ought to be taking on board.  I am really interested to see what support the Minister can gather around the Executive table, because I realise that she can only deal with what she is given.  We need to match our rhetoric with financial support. 

I mentioned some other issues that I think that we need to address in this debate:

"Breadth of investment in Olympic/Paralympic sport; Commonwealth sport; and culturally significant sports means that policy has a broad rather than a narrow focus."

I think that we need some strategic leadership here, and I hope that the Minister will be able to provide some clarity on that.  I also hope that she will tell us how she will tackle one of the other weaknesses brought forward:

"Processes can be perceived as being over bureaucratic and time consuming."

These are issues that we ought to be able to deal with. 

The proposer of the motion mentioned wider social objectives linked to public health and obesity in his opening remarks, and those are addressed in Sport Matters.  However, sport is not yet seen as an investment; it is seen as a luxury.  We have to realise that sport should be something that we invest in because we want to achieve other objectives. 

Others touched on the benefit of sport and what it can do.  Just look at the passion that we saw when we watched the Ryder Cup, or when Ulster plays rugby, or when I watched the team triathlon come in sixth at Glasgow.  There is a breakdown in our society; there is a growth in the importance of "me".  Sport should be able to counter that, but sport is not being supported.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP 4:45, 30 September 2014

Will the Member draw his remarks to a close?

Photo of Basil McCrea Basil McCrea NI21

Rather than have these meaningless debates, let us see real, strategic vision; let us see leadership for Northern Ireland; let us see what we can do.  I would really like to see the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure step up to the mark, because Northern Ireland needs it.

Photo of Carál Ní Chuilín Carál Ní Chuilín Sinn Féin

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.  I have listened carefully to the debate and the views expressed on the motion.  It is clear that there is widespread support for our local athletes, and I thank Members for providing me with the opportunity to once again congratulate the athletes, coaches, officials and families who were involved in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.  I have had the pleasure of meeting those people on a few occasions, particularly when they departed Belfast for the games in July and again when I visited the athletes' village in Glasgow.  On those occasions, I saw at first-hand the individual commitment of each of the athletes and the support that they received from the network around them.  Those athletes are certainly deserving of the tributes that have come their way today. 

Much has been made of the boxers' success, and rightly so:  winning nine medals out of 12 is no mean feat.  It is clear that there are significant interests here today to ensure that our athletes, current and future, receive appropriate training, resources and facilities in order to maximise medal achievements in all future competitions.  Some of those have been mentioned here today:  the next Commonwealth Games in 2018 on the Gold Coast in Australia and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016.  I believe that the motion is worthy, and I wholeheartedly support it. 

The motion also calls on the Assembly to recognise particularly the success of the boxing team and its achievements.

I do not think that any of us are in any doubt that boxing is the leading light in our Commonwealth sports and, indeed, across all sports competitions.  The achievements are all the more remarkable when we consider the poor facilities — they are among the worst — that we have to offer our sportspeople.  They achieve these successes despite the conditions that they train in.  My Department's current investment in boxing will go some way towards addressing some of these issues, but it merely scratches the surface. 

The motion also calls on DCAL to reassess other sports where we may excel in future games.  On Tuesday 16 September, I advised the House that I had met the chief executive of Sport NI to discuss plans to review the performance of all our athletes in the Commonwealth Games.  Sport NI will carry out debriefs with all the governing bodies of the sports that had athletes competing in the games.  It will also talk individually to each athlete, the coaches and their support personnel.  It will examine what worked well, what needs to be improved and what had a negative impact on performance.  The debriefing process will be completed by the end of this year, hopefully by early December.

When all the information is collected, a review will be undertaken by Sport NI.  The review will be used as an appraisal of performances at recent games and as a mechanism to identify the changes and improvements that are required.  The review is scheduled to take place in January and February 2015, and it will allow Sport NI to make evidence-based recommendations to the relevant sports' governing bodies and the Commonwealth Games Council.  The review will also set targets for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia. It is therefore crucial that the governing bodies involved engage completely in this process with Sport NI. 

It is really important, especially in light of the reducing resources that we all face, that the governing bodies focus investment on the athletes capable of delivering a return on that investment.  This will, no doubt, require difficult decisions to be made by the sports' governing bodies in the future.  They will need to be objective and strong in their assessments, and I know that Sport NI will provide the necessary support and guidance to them as they go through the process.  To improve athlete performance across all our competitive sports in the future, it is vital that any identified actions that are required are taken by the relevant governing bodies and their partners.  The motion calls for appropriate training and for resources and facilities to be put in place to ensure that we maximise our medal return in 2018, and that is what we intend to do.

In Sport Matters — our strategy for sport and physical recreation — there are 26 high-level targets that set out key strategic priorities for sport and physical education.  The strategy is used by DCAL and Sport NI to inform and prioritise investment, including in our high-performance athletes.  Sport Matters targets are set around three clear themes of participation, performance and places, all of which provide the building blocks for us to develop systems to help our current and aspiring competitive sportspeople.  Preparing athletes for major competitions is not about just a few elements of this strategy. Successful systems for athletes' performance must also include a range of important factors throughout the life of an athlete, namely encouraging initial participation in sport; having effective talent identification systems; having great coaches who will inspire and mentor athletes; providing crucial training and nutrition advice; providing access to suitable training facilities; and having effective governing bodies that will drive athletes forward, which is imperative. We have already achieved many of these factors; however, we recognise that there is much more to do. Sport NI is working closely with the governing bodies, the athletes, coaches and their support personnel who have Olympic and Paralympic aspirations for Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020.  As part of this, the Sports Institute at Jordanstown does an excellent job through the provision of direct technical support to sports and athletes as they prepare for major competitions. 

Sport NI also provides financial support to sports' governing bodies through its performance-focused and athlete investment programmes.  Over the last two financial years, governing bodies that had athletes preparing for 2014 received funding from Sport NI of just over £2·3 million.  That is substantial funding.  In the same period, total funding of almost £834,000 was provided under the Sport NI athlete investment programme to athletes preparing for 2014.   I anticipate that continued Exchequer and lottery funding will be provided through Sport NI to support athletes' preparation for future competitions.  There will be a focus on 2018 and the Gold Coast games, and that focus will be shaped by the outcomes of Sport NI's review of the Glasgow games.  In 2013, the Sport Matters monitoring group received a report detailing the actions around this target.  It agreed that the target had been met and that facilities had been either newly developed or upgraded to support the player and athlete.  The group toured nearly 20 projects that may be deemed as directly contributing to the PL23 target, including the 50-metre pool in north Down and new or upgraded facilities for boxing, which have yet to be completed, cycling, basketball, hockey, athletics, rowing and many more sports.  However, it was also determined that, although that target had been partially achieved, there was evidence of significant additional need and demand for performance facilities to support sport governing bodies.

As part of that, Sport NI is working in partnership with councils to deliver a sports facilities strategy along with the 11 council areas.  The documents will take into account the existing facilities and the demand for new ones.  We must, however, where possible, continue the process of developing our sporting infrastructure so that we all have the opportunity to inspire and help those who want to compete.  If they do so, they need all our support to realise their full talent and potential.  Sport Matters recognises that there is a requirement for additional funding from not just government but stakeholders, including councils.  There is much more to be done.  As Minister for sport, I remain committed to ensuring that we do all that we can.

I welcome the fact that all Members spoke very positively about our athletes.  They made special mention of the boxers, which is right.  Mention was also made of all the other roles that we need to fulfil to ensure that the athletes have their opportunity.  The role of rugby sevens and hockey was mentioned.  As Nelson McCausland and Michael McGimpsey said, and this is something that predates us all, but I intend to send a transcript of this debate to the governing bodies of those particular sports to try to ensure that we have full inclusion.  It is regrettable that past athletes missed their opportunity to perform.

I also acknowledge that, despite the personal bests that they achieved, some of the athletes fell short of what they expected of themselves and were very disappointed.  I was delighted, even from the tone of the debate, that it was not personal, because those athletes are children and young people with families supporting them.  They need our encouragement to participate fully in future competitions.

I welcome the debate and all the contributions that Members have made.  There is much more to be done, particularly on the investment that we need in infrastructure for things such as velodromes, track and field, and strength and conditioning.  It is great that we hopefully have three stadia that will be developed for those sports to avail themselves of opportunities.  There is much more to be done, but I welcome the fact that we have had this debate today.

Photo of David Hilditch David Hilditch DUP

I add my support to the motion and acknowledge the many positive contributions that were made by Members this afternoon.  I join in the congratulations to all who were successful, compliment those who came close and sympathise with the participants where situations and conditions may have gone against them on the day.

The achievements of the boxing team certainly carried Northern Ireland in the medal table.  It was perhaps a wise strategy by the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council not to announce targets prior to the games, thus not pressurising athletes and building expectations.  The Northern Ireland medal haul improved from four years ago in Delhi and was only three short of that from the Edinburgh games in 1986.

As a country, we have notoriously produced talented sportspeople.  We seem to have that in-built psyche and DNA for cultivating talent, whether it be in amateur boxing or professional golf.  Today's debate has again highlighted that.  Indeed, there are many Monday mornings in the House on which the Matter of the Day is on a sports-related topic, where credit has been given and Members have spoken with pride.

It is a quick turnaround to the next games.  Three and a half years of preparation can fly by, and today's motion certainly places the Department and the current Minister in pole position to ensure that the appropriate training, resources and facilities are in place to maximise any medal haul in 2018.

Unfortunately, we are having financial difficulties outlined to us daily.  Yesterday, I attended a departmental briefing to the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee on the monitoring rounds.  Perhaps, our expectation of delivery and our confidence in the ability to deliver resources and facilities are not as high as they should be.  However, we must look beyond the barriers, and, setting aside the Commonwealth Games targets, we cannot lose sight of sport as one of the vehicles that constantly breaks down barriers in our society and has a major effect on other Departments, such as Health and Education, as Members mentioned.

We must remind ourselves that over half of our population is involved in sports-related activities.  That covers those with disabilities, elite performers and those who wish to spectate socially.  We have many unsung heroes in our sporting community, and not everyone gets the chance to fill the back pages, lift a trophy or covet a medal.  There are hundreds who work away in the background, are dedicated to their sport, contribute to a lasting legacy and encourage others to follow.

Today's motion reminds me of a link between the Commonwealth Games and my home town.  In 1998, cricket was introduced as a one-off to the games.  Northern Ireland entered a side, even though cricket is usually played internationally on an all-Ireland basis.  One local lad from Carrickfergus, Ryan Eagleson, was given the opportunity to compete in the games.  That added to his experience and career, and he went on to represent Ireland in 65 internationals.  He became a cricketing development officer, and he is now manager of the under-19s side.  This year, 16 years later, he helped to lead Carrick to an unprecedented four-trophy haul, including the all-Ireland National Cup, the Ulster Senior League Section 1, the Ulster Shield and the T20 Trophy.  Ryan has been an inspiration to local cricketers and is typical of the dedication, enthusiasm and will to succeed shown by many of our sportsmen and women.  That is a story that could be repeated in many of the towns and villages across the Province, as those unsung heroes build that legacy.

It would be remiss of me to not revisit the issue of community sports hubs, which has been raised many times before, if we are looking to resource our facilities.  I have stated before that sports provision impacts on health, education and the social economy.  We can look closely at our neighbours in Scotland and, as was mentioned, how they have maximised their resources with community sports hubs.  We are too small a country to provide facilities for individual needs.  We must look at bringing together different strands of participation, from elite to community and leisure.

To that end, it is crucial that the new councils and the local government structure have an important part to play.  With the new councils in place from next April, a joined-up approach is needed.  I will leave it to the experts to decide whether Sport NI will be the conduit to lead that or whether a strategic group will need to be set up with various partners.  That is a pending priority as we try to develop our sports facilities.

Turning to the debate, all Members who spoke and the Minister offered their congratulations to the participants in the games.  Mr Campbell ably introduced the motion and listed the medallists.  He linked future improvement with health issues and the need to tackle obesity and to get greater participation generally.  He also sought a strategic plan and used the Scottish model as an example.

Ms McCorley paid tribute to the coaches and the families and friends of the athletes for their support.  Again, she linked sport to health and female participation.  Ms McKevitt commended all athletes for their commitment and dedication and noted other recent sporting achievements.  Mr McGimpsey used his experience in health promotion and talked of the potential in sports like rugby and hockey.  Again, he raised the Sandy Row boxing issue.  Ms Anna Lo highlighted the public interest in the games and potential venues, which would need a lot of work.  Mr Humphrey listed some past medallists and highlighted recent progressive meetings that have taken place on future opportunities.  He also mentioned rugby, hockey and representation issues.  Mr McMullan outlined commitments from Sport NI and the sports lottery issues, including funding.  Mr McCausland highlighted the Northern Ireland brand and the showcasing opportunity that the country has on these occasions.  He also mentioned additional participation in rugby and hockey.  Mr Bradley said that sport was a unifying force.  Mr Basil McCrea, whilst indicating that we were deluding ourselves, highlighted some structural issues and the benefits of upping the ante in the process.  The Minister then gave an account of the interaction with the Northern Ireland team; highlighted the success in boxing, without mentioning any investment for it; made a commitment to review performances along with the governing bodies; and gave a commitment to the terms of the motion.

We look forward to the Minister putting some meat on the bones of any review at a later date.  We thank everyone who made a contribution to the debate and commend the motion to the House.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved:

That this Assembly recognises the tremendous achievement of the entire Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team at the recent Glasgow games, in particular the boxing team; congratulates all those involved; and calls on the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to urgently reassess other sports that might be expected to excel in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and ensure the appropriate training, resources and facilities are in place to maximise our medal return in 2018.

Motion made:

That the Assembly do now adjourn. — [Mr Deputy Speaker.]