Minister Michael Ahern announces formation of Committee to draft safety standards for goalposts

Following a number of tragic deaths of children in incidents involving temporary goalposts, Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern today (Tuesday 19^th April 2005) announced the formation of the The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) Committee on Goalpost Safety.

The Committee has been established to draft a National Standard which will ensure the safety of permanent and portable goalposts and help prevent further tragedies.

Making the announcement Minister for Trade and Commerce, Mr Michael Ahern, TD said:

“Sadly four children in Ireland have been killed in recent years and many more injured by unsafe goalposts. This is not a solely Irish experience, 13 children have been killed in Britain in recent years, more than 20 children have been killed in America and deaths have also been recorded in Australia and Malta.

“In a survey conducted by the State Claims Agency, in a sample of community and comprehensive schools in May 2003, it was found that many of the goal frames used are unsafe because they are improperly designed, manufactured, or installed. The survey also found that nearly all the goal frames were made locally and to no particular standard.

“This NSAI committee is comprised of individuals from the State Claims Agency, IRFU, FAI, GAA, Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism, Technologists and County Councils and I know they will produce a National Standard which will make a major contribution to the safety of everyone using temporary goalposts.”

Also speaking at the launch of the Committee, Mr Dan Tierney, Chairman of NSAI said:

“Unfortunately, in recent years there have been a number of serious accidents, involving children suffering fatal injuries caused by free standing soccer goal frames falling over or being subject to mechanical failures.

“We are committed to developing, with the relevant bodies represented on this Committee, a new National Standard, which will help to prevent this type of accident in the future and contribute to an environment of greater safety on Ireland’s sports fields.”

Commenting on the formation of the Committee, Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism Mr John O’Donoghue, TD said:

“I warmly welcome the initiative of the National Standards Authority of Ireland in establishing this Committee. I also wish to commend the FAI, GAA and IRFU, as well as the manufacturers and other technical experts, for agreeing to take part in this important work.

“While my Department does not have a formal regulatory role in relation to safety issues in sport, the tragic deaths and injuries sustained by a number of young players are of serious concern to me. I was therefore pleased to arrange to have my Department represented on the Committee with a view to being kept informed of developments and to explore ways in which the Department and the Irish Sports Council can assist in the promulgation of standards of good practice in relation to the safety of goalposts."

The members of the Committee are:

Name	Company/ Educ Establishment/Sport
Prof Michael Gilchrist	Mech Eng Dept, UCD
Mr G Barry	City Parks Superintendent, Env & Culture Department
Mr Gerry Fitzgerald	Fingal County Council
Mr B Sheehan	Sen Exec Parks Superintendent, South Dublin County Council,
Mr M Horgan	Lynch Engineers, /GAA
Ms Gemma D'Arcy	Risk Manager, State Claims Agency
Mr David Carrigy	Operations Mgr, IRB
Mr Declan O Brien	Facilities Mgr, IRFU
Mr Paul Brady	FAI
Mr Gerry Smith	Kard Engineering
Mr Mervyn Miller	M & D Engineering
Mr Sean Tobin	Mgr Director, Goalposts Ireland
Mr Paddy Heffernan	Department of Arts, Tourism & Sports
Mr Brian Cunningham	Mgr, Standards Development, NSAI
Ms Elizabeth O Ferrall, (Technical Secretariat)	NSAI

ENDS

TC145A

For further information: Jim Harding, PRO NSAI 087 6287866