Yesterday’s headline story on Sport for Business was about the possible danger of sport losing an important voice at management level within the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
The combining of responsibility for Tourism and Sport has now though been explained as being less of a threat than might originally have been determined.
The Assistant Secretary position managed very effectively by Donagh Morgan in the Department also has responsibility for a number of key corporate services, namely HR and Economic and Financial evaluation.
Responsibility
These are to be relocated to another Assistant Secretary role at the same level freeing up time for sports it moves alongside Tourism as the second and third areas of responsibility within the Department.
The secretariat for both areas are largely based in Killarney so from a management point of view there is a logic to the decision.
As outlined yesterday, there is also a strong connection between sport and tourism which will hopefully now be strengthened further.
Enthusiasm
There are many issues on both sides that demand significant time on an individual basis but “the intention is that the Assistant Secretary will be able to devote the same amount of time and enthusiasm to sport as is currently the case,” according to Secretary General of the Department Tom O’Mahony, speaking yesterday to Sport for Business.
Change is always challenging in equal measure to being necessary.
This move comes at a time when Sport Ireland will be finding its feet as the new overall agency responsible for the work previously undertaken by the Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority.
Federation
An announcement on the new Chief Executive for the Federation of Irish Sport is also expected shortly after a strong interest in the position.
Sport is increasingly being recognised for the power it holds in creating and improving society’s wellbeing. It’s reach across Health, Education, Tourism and capital expenditure means it can sometimes fall between stools at Government level.
Ireland is better than most at realising and supporting its development centrally. It’s important that that remains the case in the new structure at the Department and within the interest of the next Government when it comes to power at some point over the next 12 months.
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is among more than 130 organisations that are full members of our Sport for Business network of leaders. Find out how we can help your organisation build business through sport
