Mac Sharry Fights World Rally Dublin Move

Senator Marc Mac Sharry has called on Motorsport Ireland to keep Rally Ireland based in the North West and to resist plans for moving the country’s World Rally Championship (WRC) event to the east coast.

MacSharry went on to call on Motorsport Ireland, the event organizers to only submit the successful and popular Sligo based cross border format and drop their new plans for a North County Dublin start, Dundalk Service Park and Belfast finish.

The Sligo based Senator who has been a promoter of the event since its inception explained that a Dublin – Belfast route was examined in 2004 for the original feasibility study but was rejected in favor of a North – South event based out of Sligo.

"Sligo and the North West played a massive role in winning this valuable and prestigious event for Ireland and we will resist any moves to transfer it to Dublin now that the hard work is done," he explained.

Mac Sharry stated that no other event in the World Rally Championship was run out of the capital city of the host country concerned and indeed most were based in remote locations with far less facilities’ and infrastructure than are available in Sligo and the north west. "Why should Ireland and Sligo in particular be treated any different that other countries in the championship ?

"Over the years I have spoken with most of the teams and key international officials involved in the WRC and all were delighted with Sligo as an ideal show case event for the championship," he explained.

"The people of Sligo and surrounding counties worked hard to win this event and we will not stand by and let Dublin steal it from us just to pander to peoples personal preferences."

MacSharry stressed that Ireland must be firm in its dealings with the international promoters now that we are a top ranked round in the Championship. He stressed that in Rally Irelands 2007 WRC debut, it was scored second best in the world in terms of standards and the highest in terms of TV coverage.

"WRC like other sports is under pressure for quality and professional events like Rally Ireland – therefore Motorsport Ireland must be robust in their demands in terms of dates and venues that best suit the interests of the tax payers on the Island of Ireland who after all are funding the event."

He went on to explain that recent rule changes to the WRC calendar by the sports governing body presented motorsport Ireland and the country with the opportunity to secure the event on an annual basis rather than bi annual . "Lets have the WRC every year, and for my part, I will continue to help in any way I can to secure it," he concluded.