MINISTER for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar has said his first priority in his new job is “to get my feet under the table and learn my brief off by heart”.
Mr Varadkar was speaking after his first official function as a Cabinet Minister, at the launch in Dublin yesterday of Special Olympics Ireland’s team for the World Games in Greece in June.
Asked about his priorities, the Minister said the most important thing for him was to adjust to his new role, learn the brief and focus on his responsibilities in the programme for government.
Earlier, he told his audience of about 500 people that Minister of State for Sport Michael Ring would be taking over many of the functions relating to sport.
Mr Varadkar also made reference in his speech to his sporting credentials. He told the gathering he was “an active sports player, both football, rugby and GAA”.
He added, however, that “it’s not necessary for a Minister for Sport to play sport or watch it, but to legislate for it and to fight for funds for sport at Cabinet”.
The Government has allocated €1.5 million to Special Olympics Ireland for 2011 and €250,000 for the World Games.
He said “the money that is invested in sport – every euro comes back to you from health and from justice, down the road”.
