London 2012
The selection of London as the host city for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and Paralympic Games offers opportunities, which could be availed of by Ireland in the areas of tourism, business, sport and culture.
In August 2006, a Task Force was established to advise the Minister on the priority opportunities and map out a strategy to ensure that benefits flow to Ireland. The Task Force recently submitted its report to the Minister for consideration. Its focus has been on
- assessing the quality and suitablity of Ireland's sporting and ancillary infrastructure in terms of its appeal to countries and athletes preparing to take part in the London Olympics and Paralympics;
- completing an economic evaluation of the potential impacts in the sectors of tourism, business and sport arising from Ireland's proximity to the 2012 Games; and
- identifying other beneficial spin-offs from the Olympics and Paralympics.