The Oireachtas Committee on Sport has described Irish participation in the 2004 Athens Olympics as a "fiasco" and is recommending the establishment of a high-powered steering group to oversee preparations for Ireland's participation in the 2012 Olympics in London.
In a report published today the committee states that sports policy in the State has been focused on short-term goals and stop-gap measures.
It says that the 2008 Beijing Olympics are too close for new policies to make any difference and advises that the Government and sporting agencies should instead concentrate on the 2012 London Olympics which, it says, could provide an unprecedented opportunity for the development of Irish sport.
The committee advocates the establishment of a steering group to co-ordinate preparations for the Olympics. This group would outline a "road map" of goals and targets aimed at improving funding, facilities and the preparation of athletes.
The committee envisages that the steering group would co-ordinate a disparate group of agencies involved in preparations for the Olympics, including the Sports Council and the Olympic Council of Ireland, which may require new legislation.
The report recommends a new "ground-up" approach to improve the standards of athletes in Ireland, including expansion of the sports partnership scheme to provide enhanced training and facilities in all primary schools in the State.