Minister accused of ‘wasting an opportunity’ after bid to host World Rally events fails

Motorsport Ireland had sought support to hold races here

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have clashed after Ireland missed out on hosting World Rally events.

TDs and senators expressed their disappointment at the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting yesterday and critic is ed Fianna Fáil’s junior sports minister Thomas Byrne.

The Department of Tourism and Sport said Motorsport Ireland sought state support in January to host rounds of the World Rally Championship from 2025 to 2027, to the value of €4m a year.

However, Motorsport Ireland said on Tuesday that the State is “no longer” being considered to host a round of the championship next year.

A number of TDs and senators spoke about the issue at the Fine Gael meeting, including junior minister Kieran O’Donnell, TD Brendan Griffin and senators Garret Ahearn, John Cummins and Maria Byrne.

Mr Ahearn said: “It is totally unacceptable that the minister has managed to waste an amazing opportunity for the Munster region.

“I’ve called for Taoiseach Simon Harris to intervene.”

Mr Harris told the meeting he wanted to get more information before seeing if anything could be done.

Mr Cummins said there would have been economic benefits of €300m over three years and said Motorsport Ireland “did their business correctly”.

“It’s hugely disappointing that a decision could not be arrived at within a six-month period by Minister Byrne and the department,” he said.

“Hosting the World Rally Championship in Ireland over three years would have been a huge boost for the three areas that had been selected, Waterford, Limerick and Kerry.”

He said the events would have been a “fitting tribute” to rally driver Craig Breen, who was born in Waterford and died last year in a crash while preparing for a rally in Croatia.

Ms Byrne called on Mr Byrne to engage with Motorsport Ireland and to “streamline” the application.

However, Kerry TD Mr Griffin, who previously held Mr Byrne’s ministerial portfolio, said the project had his “full backing”.

He said the department has a “very good unit” that deals with major events.

Mr Griffin added it is “too simplistic” to blame the department and the minister.

“I can only imagine perhaps the outlook wasn’t as strong as some people may have conveyed. I’d like to see the figures and the facts in terms of the economic assessment done so far,” he said.

“Maybe it’s not lost completely and there may be an opportunity in the following years beyond 2025.”

Motorsport Ireland said it had been told by the Government it would need a further six months to carry out more analysis.

The department said in a statement it has offered to commit money towards “an independent economic analysis and business case” of hosting events beyond 2025.

“The department notes that Motorsport Ireland has offered its appreciation for this offer by the department to undertake the necessary independent economic analysis required,” a spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the department found “potential issues regarding Motorsport Ireland’s proposal, including the likely return on investment, the displacement impacts of holding an event in busy tourism months, and capacity concerns”.