Shane Ross set women in Irish sport back ‘about 20 years’, says Patrick O’Donovan

Minister for Sport Patrick O’Donovan has accused one of his predecessors, Shane Ross, of setting back the role of women in Irish sport by “about 20 years”. He said Mr Ross, who was minister for sport from May 2016 to February 2020, “unceremoniously trampled all over” a proposed reform that Mr O’Donovan, then a minister of State, attempted to introduce in 2016.

“The last time I was in the department as a minister of State I had a rather difficult relationship with the minister at the time, who is no longer in politics,” Mr Donovan said while speaking on Friday at The Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year awards in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin.

“I tried unsuccessfully to bring in a rule with regards to women’s roles in the governance of Irish sport and he unceremoniously at the time trampled all over it and set the role of women in Irish sport, I believe, back about 20 years.”

Mr Ross, an Independent, effectively stepped away from politics after losing his Dublin Rathdown seat in the general election in February 2020. Mr O’Donovan said he enjoyed a better working relationship with Mr Ross’s immediate successor, the Green Party’s Catherine Martin, and Mr Ross’s “ridiculous decision” has been reversed.

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[ Kate O’Connor named Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year for 2025Opens in new window ]

Minister for Sport Patrick O’Donovan presents Kate O'Connor with the Sportswoman of the Year award. Photograph: Alan Betson

“Thankfully after that [in June 2020], Catherine Martin came in as minister, undid all his handiwork and, together with people like Jack Chambers, reversed that ridiculous decision and prompted the situation where we now have a cross-governance equality, where we are getting the right direction for women in sport.”

[ Ian O'Riordan: Goodbye Shane Ross and thanks for the sporting memoriesOpens in new window ]

At Friday’s event Mr O’Donovan presented heptathlete Kate O’Connor with the top award and told the large audience, which featured some of the elite of Irish sport, that he has been determined to complete “unfinished business” since taking up his current role in January.