Fianna Fáil Senator suggests Ireland should prepare bid for 2072 Olympics

A Fianna Fáil Senator has called for Ireland to start developing a bid to host the 2072 Summer Olympics.

Senator, Malcolm Byrne said it would be apt to mark 150 years since Ireland began competing in the Olympics as an independent state.

Senator Byrne, who is vice-chair of the Oireachtas Sports Committee said: “Yes, there will probably be a few eye rolls at this suggestion. But I think we could start to develop a plan so that we have the world class infrastructure to host major international events and there is none bigger than the Olympics.

"Given the joy and pride that our Olympians have given us all across the island in recent weeks, we should commit to ensuring that our country has the best facilities for them in all disciplines.

“We need to engage in some long-term planning and setting an ambitious goal of hosting the Olympics in half a century’s time should not be beyond us. Cynics will knock the move, but let us be imaginative and explore what we would need to do as an island to achieve this goal.”

He said the government’s continued investment in sport was paying dividends at international level but also in local sports participation.

“The Helsinki Olympics in 1952 was the last time a smaller country hosted the Summer Games.

"I know that there are enormous costs, but the transformational opportunities are incredible. Can we envision a Dublin and an Ireland in half a century that could be the centre of the sporting world and that would leave an incredible legacy?" he said.