Woman tipped to win Ireland's next Olympic gold

A woman will win the next Olympic gold medal for Ireland, an Oireachtas Committee heard tonight.

Opposition sports spokesman Jimmy Deenihan called for more Government funding to promote female athletes in the country.

The all-party body was tonight discussing its report, ’Ireland and the Olympics – Athens to London’ with Sports Minister John O’Donoghue.

Fine Gael TD Mr Deenihan told committee members: “I’m convinced that it will probably be a woman who will win the next gold medal for Ireland in the Olympics.

“There should therefore be a greater focus on promoting women’s sports in Ireland.”

The former Kerry GAA star urged the Government to recognise the potential of female athletes.

Minister O’Donoghue pledged €2.5m to women’s sports in the 2005 Budget and committed €750,000 to the area a year earlier.

“The Government must continue to increase this funding going forward,” Mr Deenihan added.

Fianna Fáil TD Jim Glennon said that Irish athletes had a fantastic opportunity with the London Olympics in 2012.

“England’s good fortune, in this case, will turn out to be Ireland’s good fortune,” he added.