Women’s hockey success
Senator Richmond congratulated the Irish women’s hockey team on qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics and celebrated the atmosphere at the matches. Senator Craughwell interjected briefly before Richmond finished by praising the growth of women’s sport.
I join with others in warmly welcoming Senator Pippa Hackett to the Chamber, as well as her family. No doubt she has big shoes to fill in terms of following the former Senator, Grace O'Sullivan, but I have no doubt she is up to the test.
On a happy note, I warmly congratulate the Irish women's hockey team on their wonderful qualification for the Tokyo Olympic Games. I was very fortunate to spend the weekend at both games in Energia Park in Donnybrook. While we were joined by the Taoiseach, the Minister and Deputy O'Connell on Sunday-----
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-----the most important person there, to my mind, was my young niece, April, who was attending not only her first international hockey match but the largest international women's sports match in terms of attendance ever held in this country. It was a wonderful day for her to see absolute heroes on the pitch, fulfilling their aspirations to qualify for the Olympics and proving a real example.
There is a lot going on in women's sport in this country that we should be happy about. We have the women's rugby team playing Wales, our women's national soccer team are having great success and we see record-breaking numbers attending the football and camogie finals. However, so much more can be done. As the saying goes: "Can't see, can't be". It is so important for women and girls across the country that all the State broadcasters and private broadcasters increase their level of coverage of all sports, but particularly women's games at every level. If we look at the achievements of the women's hockey team at the weekend, coming after the absolute disappointment for the men's team just the previous week, that is the example we can all aspire to. We wish them well and, hopefully, they can repeat their success at the Olympics in Tokyo next year.