Taoiseach admits sporting restrictions 'breaks all our hearts'

aoiseach Micheal Martin at Government Buildings.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says it “breaks all our hearts” that people can’t currently participate in team sports.

Martin recognises the need for outdoor sports in terms of mental health and hopes restrictions can be reduced to Level 4 on April 5. However, the presence of the B.1.1.7 Covid-19 variant in the country means the Government aren’t taking any chances.

“I’m a member of a club and it breaks all our hearts that people aren’t out on the fields and young people in particular because it’s the natural thing to do at this time of year,” Martin, a member of Nemo Rangers GAA club, told Spin South West’s “Fully Charged” with Valerie Wheeler and Ed Roche.

“When spring comes, you want to be out. If you’re into sport, you want to be out on a field somewhere and you want to be out enjoying the games. Unfortunately because of the variant, we are taking a very cautious approach on it but we are committed to looking at it on April 5 in a very serious way.

“If the numbers continue to go down the way they’re going down, I think we will be in a position to look at that.” 

Last year, the GAA received €14 million to run the inter-county championships - it cost €19.5m to run and a similar figure is expected this year - while the Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie Associations received just €1m between them.

Asked if they might receive a larger portion of state funding for the competitions this year, Martin said: “Last year, we engaged with all of the authorities in both ladies football and camogie but what I understand (what was given) was more or less required to enable the championships to take place at the inter-county level.

“The Government was very supportive of all sports last year, particularly the GAA, and without government support it’s hard to see how the All-Ireland championships would have happened. It was dependent on that support.

“It worked last year, I thought, at inter-county level. I thought it gave entertainment at difficult times and we think it worked successfully. So, again, we will work with the sports organisations.

“Up to April 5, we have to get the numbers down. If we get the numbers down and if everybody can do their very best to adhere to the guidelines between now and April 5 that does give us choices in the week leading into April 5 in terms of sport.”