Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Fáiltím roimh an deis an t-eolas is déanaí a thabhairt don Teach faoinár bpleananna forbartha um chaipiteal spóirt agus táim ag tnúth le tuairimí na dTeachtaí a chloisteáil. Ba mhaith liom a rá ar dtús gur mhór an onóir dom gur ceapadh mé i m'Aire Stáit le freagracht as an spórt agus as an gcorpoideachas. Ó a ceapadh mé, chuaigh tiomantas, paisean agus fís na n-eagraíochtaí spóirt ar fud na tíre go mór i bhfeidhm orm agus iad ag iarraidh a n-áiseanna spóirt a fhorbairt.

Boosting participation in sport is at the heart of my approach as Minister of State with responsibility for sport. As a Government, we are committed to having 60% of our adult population regularly participating in sport by 2027. While this target is ambitious, it is critical that we do everything we can to achieve it. Participation in sport plays a significant role in improving people’s health and well-being. Research shows that by getting more people to participate in sport we can help reduce the incidences of strokes, cancer and depression, resulting in higher productivity and lower healthcare costs. On children, the WHO regards childhood obesity as one of the most serious global public health challenges for the 21st century. Childhood obesity has become such a problem, in part due to sedentary lifestyles. Accordingly, if we are to compete with these other distractions we must have good quality, safe and adequate sports facilities.

At the high-performance level of sport, we know that sporting success has the ability to lift the spirits of communities, counties and the whole nation. I would like to take this opportunity to commend Andy Farrell, Johnny Sexton and all of the lrish players, together with the backroom team behind them, on their Rugby World Cup campaign. The Irish team never gave up. They put up an incredible fight, right up until the last minute of the campaign. These exceptional ambassadors lifted the whole country and I have no doubt inspired many young rugby stars of the future. High-level success is never achieved overnight and I know that by investing in facilities at grassroots level we can best nurture our future sporting talents.

The Government’s commitment to investment in sport is not only confined to capital spending. In the first half of the ten-year lifespan of the national sports policy there has been clear progress made in sports funding. Our national sports policy set out an aim to double the level of Exchequer funding for sport by 2027. It is my firm belief that money spent on sport is an investment and not a cost. In 2018, when the national sports policy was launched, the budget for sport was €111 million. Last week, I announced an overall budget allocation of €183.3 million for sport. This is an increase of €8 million compared with last year’s budget. We are certainly on track to achieve our target of doubling the level of Exchequer funding for sport by 2027, therefore. I am pleased to say to Deputies that since 2018, the sports budget has increased by 65%. The Government resources which are secured for sport next year will allow Sport Ireland to continue to support the sport sector, which continues to recover from the challenges of the pandemic and faces difficulties around rising energy costs and cost-of-living increases.

Recently, I announced the reopening of the application process for the sports energy support scheme and extended the eligibility period to the end of July. I take this opportunity to urge all eligible sports organisations, clubs and facility providers to engage with their respective national governing body or local sports partnership to ensure they avail of their full entitlements under the sports energy support scheme. Applications under this scheme will be closing soon on 25 October 2023, so I urge all those eligible to apply to do so. I ask Deputies to pass that message out to local clubs because, quite frankly, the level of take-up of that scheme is not what we expected. We have made a lot of efforts to get that message out there but I would appreciate help on this. I visited clubs during the year whose members said the club did not get any help with energy and I told them there was a scheme there for them. We have gone all out to try to get the word out on this and to expand that scheme as much as possible. I refer to the sports energy support scheme.

The 2024 budget allocation will deliver an increase of almost €7.4 million to Sport Ireland. This allows Sport Ireland to increase its support in a number of very important areas, including core funding for national governing bodies of sport and the Women in Sport funding. In line with the High Performance Strategy 2021-2032 and the national sports policy, the Government is providing an additional €1 million in this budget for high performance sport. This increased funding will support Team Ireland in their preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year and it will continue to develop the coaching and pathways support envisaged in our national high performance strategy.

Before talking specifically about the capital assistance we provide for sports projects, I wish to pay tribute to volunteers in sport. I know the House will join me in this. Today’s statements relate to the need for continued investment in sports infrastructure but the reality is that most of our sports and sport developments would never happen without the volunteers at community level who have the vision and drive to deliver them. We owe volunteers in sport a debt that can never be fully repaid. The investments under our sports capital programmes would have little or potentially no effect without the work of volunteers who organise, coach and encourage people to participate and perform in their chosen sports. Ireland has a great tradition of volunteerism and volunteers are the very backbone of Irish sport. Without volunteers, there would be fewer sports activities and those activities would be more expensive. Volunteers play a major role in sustaining the high level of sporting activity in Ireland with all the associated health and social benefits. Be it our women’s national football team that qualified for this year’s World Cup for the first time, of whom we were all very proud, our recent successful Ryder and Solheim Cup heroes, or indeed the Irish rugby team, as I mentioned already, all of these benefited at different stages of their sporting journeys from volunteer help which has helped to achieve their subsequent success. This has done a huge amount to enhance the international prestige, not only of Irish sport but of Ireland herself, and provides role models for the country’s youth in particular.

I turn now to the two specific capital schemes that my Department administers. The first is the sports capital and equipment programme. I think all Deputies are aware generally of how the sports capital and equipment programme operates. I will briefly provide the House with some background and outline some of the recent changes to the programme. This programme is the main channel of Government support for developing sports facilities and purchasing sports equipment for sports clubs and organisations. More than 13,000 projects have benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 and the total allocations are in excess of €1.15 billion. Grants under the programme have directly improved sports facilities in every village, town and city in the country. I am very familiar with the sports facilities in my own constituency but I have been fortunate to see many of these facilities outside my own constituency since my appointment. The programme for Government commits to continuing the programme and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.

I will speak briefly about recent reforms that I introduced under the most recent round of the programme. I should say, I introduced reforms this year but there were other reforms introduced just before that as well. These reforms previously made were to ensure the system of applying for grants would be as user-friendly as possible and to ensure the methodology for allocating funding is fully transparent and fair. A previous criticism of the programme, which I made myself at the time, was the number of applications deemed invalid at assessment stage. This gave rise to understandable frustration from applicants who had invested significant time and effort in compiling their applications. Measures introduced to address these concerns included a significantly simplified application form, more online validation of applications, and the availability of an online guide showing how to complete the form. Importantly, applicants who submit incorrect documentation are now also given the opportunity to correct their application during the assessment phase, and this will apply to the current round as well as the officials do that work. This work will probably take place some time in the coming months. It is not going to happen in the coming weeks. Some of these measures delay the overall timeframe of the assessment process, and when people ask why it takes so long, this is one of the reasons. However, in general this is very well received by applicants and indeed by Deputies as well.

The measures to reduce the invalid rate of applications submitted have been overwhelmingly successful. For some older rounds of the programme, the invalid rate was over 40%; in the 2020 round it was just 6%. A further improvement made was the introduction of an appeals system, and it is only right that unsuccessful applicants have an opportunity to make appeals. Indeed, I helped some clubs myself in previous rounds with such appeals. Regarding individual grant amounts, historically, there was no clear documentation showing how individual grants were decided. Under the last three rounds, however, the full scoring system and assessment process was published in advance of assessment work commencing. Every application was then scored using the published criteria and the exact amount allocated to each project was based on a formula combining the assessment score, the amount of funding sought and the funding available for that county. I am highlighting this information to the House to show how far the programme has come in terms of transparency. Applicants can now be fully confident that all allocations are made entirely on merit, in line with the published criteria.

In terms of actual outcomes for the 2020 round of the programme, almost 2,900 different projects received a grant offer, with more than €166.6 million allocated. While the main field sports such as GAA, soccer and rugby again did very well, any fair analysis will acknowledge the diversity and spread of grants awarded under the 2020 round. In excess of 50 different sports benefited, including boxing, taekwondo, rowing and wheelchair sport, to name just a few. Every pitch drained, every sports hall refurbished and every piece of equipment bought using these grants allows more people to participate in sport, which is what we are trying to achieve.

I will talk now about the 2023 round of the programme. This round opened for applications on 17 July and closed on 8 September. On the basis of the analysis carried out to date, it is clear that the programme has again generated a very large number of applications. It is likely that the total number will exceed the previous record of 3,106 applications submitted under the 2020 round. I introduced a number of changes to this round after we published the review of the previous round. The review identified new areas for focus, including an increase in thresholds for both local and regional grants, specifically rewarding projects which included adaptations for persons with disabilities, and prioritising applications from areas witnessing significant population growth where that demands new facilities. All of these recommendations have been agreed to. Furthermore, the programme has been expanded to include applications for upgrades to swimming pools, and there is a focus on sustainability, which the Minister, Deputy Martin, highlights in her opening remarks. At short notice, the Minister could not be here this evening and I discussed this with her this morning at question time.

Of particular importance to me is the fact that the guide to making an application makes it clear that ensuring the relevant national governing body of the applicant concerned has met the 40% gender balance target by the end of 2023 is crucially important. I wish to be clear, as I made this point this morning and may not have been as clear, that we cannot apply this retrospectively. It applies to the 2023 round. However, effectively this means if the national governing body of the applicant does not have 40% gender balance on the board, from a sports capital point of view, the applicants will only be entitled to draw down 50% of what they have been awarded. I am not trying to punish people with this but what I am trying to do is get the message up the ranks that the lads, and I mean lads, need to get this sorted out. To be fair, the governing bodies that have not sorted this 40% quota, and we see this in the newspapers, are all taking steps to do this. It is urgent and it is reasonable. It has been there for quite a number of years and we decided this year that we had to do something about it and make sure it happens. The guide also states that under no circumstances will capital funding be provided unless the applicant confirms in writing that it is in compliance with the provisions of the Equal Status Act, and it is a new requirement that projects need to accommodate male and female users on similar terms. This is a new criterion we brought in this year because of a small number of cases which were highlighted to me where this simply was not the case on a very unfair basis.

Work is now under way on finalising the scoring assessment manual for the 2023 round and I hope to publish the new manual shortly.

I will also publish on the website the full list of applicants to the programme. Once these documents are published, the detailed assessment work will begin. In this regard, it is planned to assess the equipment-only applications first, with a view to announcing these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on the assessment of the capital applications, with the allocations likely to be announced later in 2024. I am conscious of the significant interest in the allocations. I assure the House that I will work hard to ensure as much funding as possible is made available and that the assessment process is completed as quickly as possible.

The other capital funding scheme is the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF, provided for by the national sports policy of 2018. The aim of the fund is to provide an open and transparent system for applying for grant assistance where the amount sought is greater than that available under the sports capital programme. The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and national governing bodies. All applications were assessed in accordance with the published evaluation procedures and guidelines and the allocations were made in January 2020. To date, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals.

The first LSSIF allocations were announced just prior to the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic gave rise to significant financial challenges for all grantees, with many of them having to reprioritise their own expenditure plans. In more recent times, the high level of construction inflation has also presented considerable challenges. In view of these issues, it was timely to review progress on all projects, and meetings with all grantees have taken place. It is encouraging that, based on these discussions, a majority of the 33 projects should be in a position to draw down funding in the next 12 months. However, the discussions we had also confirmed that some projects may not proceed.

Following engagement with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and his officials, and in recognition of the challenges faced by some grantees, officials in the Department with responsibility for sport wrote to all LSSIF grantees inviting them to apply for additional support by 4 August 2023. Further clarification was sought from some grantees but all of this information has now been received. Accordingly, I hope to be in a position to announce further allocations to grantees in due course, with a view to ensuring that all existing LSSIF projects can be completed. With regard to a possible new round of the LSSIF, I will continue to engage with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, on the funding required to underpin it.

Mar a dúradh cheana, tugann mo ról mar Aire Stáit an deis dom cinnte a dhéanamh de go gcuirtear an-spéis in infheistíocht leanúnach sna háiseanna spóirt. Tuigim freisin go raibh na blianta beaga anuas an-dúshlánach ó thaobh an spóirt de. Uaireanta is nuair a bhíonn rud éigin imithe go mbímid fíor-bhuíoch as agus creidim go láidir gur léirigh Covid-19 cé chomh tábhachtach is atá spórt dúinn go léir. Dá réir sin, táim ag tnúth le cuidiú le go leor tionscadal thábhachtacha spóirt le dul chun cinn a dhéanamh sna míonna amach romhainn trí leithdháiltí nua faoin scéim um chaipiteal agus trealamh spóirt agus faoin gciste infreastruchtúr spóirt ar mhórscála. Is féidir liom a chinntiú don Teach go leanfaidh mé ag troid go dian ar son na n-acmhainní riachtanacha chun a chinntiú gur féidir linn i bhfad níos mó áiseanna spóirt ar gach scála a fhorbairt sna blianta amach romhainn agus táim ag tnúth le tuairimí na dTeachtaí a chloisteáil inniu.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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I acknowledge, as did the Minister of State, the contribution and the performances of the Irish rugby team in the World Cup. They were absolutely fantastic. They brought us happiness and joy and, ultimately, heartbreak. I have no doubt they will rise again. I wish Johnny Sexton, who has been an amazing servant for Irish rugby, the very best in his future journey.

I welcome the time allocated in the Dáil to the speak on Government's capital support for sports facilities. We are speaking on statements on the importance of continued and enhanced capital support for sports facilities. I feel that statements on the continued underinvestment in sport facilities by the Government would have been more fitting title.

Ireland, as the Minister of State said, is a sports-mad country. Sport is in every single corner of the country in communities throughout the State. We have seen record League of Ireland attendances, with stadiums selling out days in advance. What we also see at the vast majority of League of Ireland venues is the legacy of decades of neglect by successive Governments. In many cases, stadiums are in an appalling state. There is an ongoing issue with the lack of facilities for female players at grassroots level. Facilities are simply not fit for purpose. As a result, League of Ireland football is struggling to reach its full potential. There is massive potential for the League of Ireland and we have to invest in it and support it.

I must ask where is the enhanced capital support for League of Ireland facilities. There is not one mention of the great work of the League of Ireland in this year's budget. The FAI put together a compelling case for the need to invest in sport. It highlighted the immense potential that Irish football has. Despite the best efforts of League of Ireland clubs and the FAI, this potential has barely been tapped into. As I have said, there is massive potential. They are operating with one hand tied behind their back due to the lack of support from the Government.

Last week we heard the exciting news that Ireland would co-host the 2028 European Championships. This is a great achievement and it will be a great showcase for Ireland. It will be brilliant to see games hosted here in Dublin and in Casement Park in Belfast. Last week we also had the announcement of a legacy fund for the European Championships in 2028. It is essential that when the tournament is over there is a genuine legacy left behind to support the grassroots and League of Ireland football. If I am to be honest, the figure cited last week of €6.2 million is concerning. When we look at the costs associated with the development of Dalymount Park, €6.2 million seems like a drop in the ocean in the needs of Irish football. The cost associated with this one-off tournament is an amount of money that the League of Ireland or the grassroots of Irish football could only dream of.

A national sports facility strategy at the heart of capital spending on sport facilities would ensure the most effective delivery of sports facilities in terms of costs and need. While successive Governments have spoken about a national sports facility strategy, none has ever gone as far as developing and delivering such as strategy. Over the past two decades, more than €1 billion has been invested in sport facilities. That is welcome. It has been done through programmes such as the sports capital local authority swimming pool programme and the large-scale sports infrastructure fund. Despite the large volume of money invested in sport, there remains no national strategy on the delivery and expansion of sports facilities. All are ad hocprojects depending greatly on the interests of the Minister or Government of the day.

The national sports policy gave a commitment to publish a full audit of all sports facilities throughout the State by 2020. It is three years overdue and there is still no sign of it. Perhaps the Minister of State will update it.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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I will.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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I have heard that it might be coming-----

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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It is.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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-----but so is Christmas.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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It will be here before Christmas. I guarantee that.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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That is good to hear. Then we will have to act on it, albeit three years late.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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I made it happen.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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How can we effectively invest and plan for the development of sports facilities if we do not even have a clear account of what we have or what is the condition of our existing stock of facilities?

The Minister of State engages with national governing bodies, as do I. They clearly show the massive demand that exists for increased sports facilities. Many of these national governing bodies have brilliant plans already in place. The missing elements are capital and core support from the Government. These national governing bodies have plans that would keep young people active in sport and help to develop the next generation of sporting heroes and role models. Their plans will help build a healthier society and increase participation in sport. At present the Government's approach clearly is not working. Participation rates are moving at a snail's pace and are a long way off the Government's targets.

In our alternative budget, Sinn Féin provided for increased capital funding to reopen the large-scale sport infrastructure fund for a fresh round. The national governing bodies are urgently calling for this. We have made it clear that Sinn Féin would increase capital funding for sports facilities, providing the sports sector and local communities with the modern sports facilities that they urgently need. The sports capital and equipment programme has been the State's primary vehicle for supporting the development of local sports facilities and equipment for the past two decades. The programme has done great work. It has probably touched every parish in the State. While it has benefited a large number of clubs, many in the sports community have been calling for reform to the programme to improve it and make its impact in communities stronger.

There is an issue with how the grants are paid, which I have raised previously with the Minister of State. The grants are paid after the work or equipment has been paid for and, of course, this causes problems.

I referred to a club in Ringsend. It is in a working-class community that does not have the resources upfront to pay for capital works. The sports capital grant is the only grant available to sports clubs for which it is necessary to pay upfront. All other grants can be paid in advance. Smaller clubs in particular do not have the cash flows and cash reserves to pay for work. This is a clear barrier that needs to be addressed.

The Minister of State mentioned the LSSIF and said additional clubs had applied. He might clarify how many clubs have done so. I ask this because I understand that only four groups have drawn down their funding from that scheme. How many groups have applied for additional funding?

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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I want to absolutely reject that final aspiration anyway.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the chair, I should remain independent, but I will call on Deputy Ó Ríordáin to conclude.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State and very much appreciate this opportunity to discuss this important topic of sport, which is sometimes relegated. When we think of the lives we all live and of our communities, it is sports clubs and involvement in sport that lift so many communities, families and individuals, and even the entire country. Reference has been made to our international teams and how they have brought success. It gives everybody a great lift.

Historically, though, we have underinvested in sport. On an EU basis, as a percentage of overall spending in this regard, I think we are one of the lowest in the EU. We have, therefore, a great deal of catching up to do. I have listened intently to the contributions of the Minister of State in this area since his appointment and I have been impressed with some of the comments he has made. We have had a long-standing issue with the betting levy. It goes towards one fund, namely, the Horse and Greyhound Fund. The betting levy could probably be increased to support other sporting endeavours. This is something the Minister of State has an interest in pursuing. I have heard his Government colleagues making similar calls and I think this is something we have to do. It is a lopsided situation, in my view, to have €100 million annually going to the Horse and Greyhound Fund when we have such a deficit in terms of sporting infrastructure.

The Minister of State and his predecessor in the portfolio, the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, commented on the need for an overhaul of how we undertake the sports capital funding allocation.

It is imbalanced. If one is in a club that has any amount of professionals on the committee, that club can produce a very well put together application and it is going to get the funding. If a club happens to have a more working-class background or it is a more working-class sport that does not have the same level of expertise, it can be imbalanced. Again, my colleague Senator Wall and I believe the local authority at a local level probably needs to be driving this process. It could do an audit of any given community in any given area and could give an indication to the Government on what needs to be funded, rather than the individual clubs doing it. I also believe that we must change the mindset of every club demanding something just for themselves and which they will not share. If we look at the European model, there are playing facilities that any amount of codes can benefit from. That is the way forward because it is simply not sustainable for a local authority, the Government or any State agency to be funding individual playing facilities from which only one club can benefit. We need to move away from that.

Mention was made of the League of Ireland. We are missing a fantastic opportunity really. Now there is a lot more positivity about the League of Ireland. I went to matches 30 years ago - I acknowledge the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, did too - where all the talk is about the past and the glory days of the past but the infrastructure was very poor. It has not really improved since then. Now the talk is all about the future and about investment and the potential of Dalymount Park, Tolka Park and Richmond Park to improve, as well as of grounds around the country including Finn Park in Donegal, the grounds in Sligo and various stadiums. That investment is needed. There is potential for our League of Ireland clubs to advance and become regular participants in the group stages of European competitions that could bring big name clubs to this country on a regular basis. Playing those games here is within our vision and not having to hang our hat on such projects as Euro 2028, which we are quite sceptical about. We are sceptical that there always seems to be some sort of big castle on the hill-type project we should be excited about, rather than the basic fundamentals. For example, the FAI report said that one third of Irish clubs effectively cannot host an under-14s girls' game. If that is the reality on the ground then we need to seriously address that.

I will focus heavily on football in my contribution. The Minister of State made the point about gender equality. When we consider the pathway a young girl has in football in Ireland, why must we always assume that she will go to England or the UK to fulfil her dreams? We have lost another young player, Abbie Larkin, who we all cheered on during the World Cup in the summer. She has gone to Glasgow to fulfil her ambition. It is really draining the potential here for a robust vibrant League of Ireland when our international players are all playing abroad. Another player, Áine O'Gorman, only retired recently. Twelve years ago, 70% of the women's team were based here in domestic clubs and now they effectively are all playing in the UK, many of them on rolling one-year contracts and not for big money. With a bit more vision, we could have a domestic league that our young people could attend and see these international players playing here. It could be one of the best in Europe and certainly could rival what Scotland has to offer.

We certainly need to look at the investment level and how we can improve that. We need to ensure that clubs at a local level, regardless of what code they are involved in, understand the necessity to share and to have a communal vision for their own individual areas. I talk regularly to football clubs in my own area. I want to mention Ayrfield United and Kilmore Celtic, which are doing fantastic work with underage sections that are bursting at the seams. Again, however, it is the basic provision of infrastructure that could really help them to go to the next level.

While I am at it, I wish my own GAA club, Scoil Uí Chonaill, the best of luck in the championship final at the weekend even though they are playing against Parnells, which is a bit of a constituency rivalry there. I wish all the best to Scoil Uí Chonaill on Saturday.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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When we talk about the heart and the soul of a community, what comes to mind? For many people it is their local sports club. Sports are not just games that we play or watch, they are the lifeblood of communities drawing together from all walks of life. They teach us resilience, teamwork and discipline. Most importantly, sports provide a platform for personal, social and community growth. Here is the thing, however. For sports to truly shine, for them to play the role they are meant to, to bring families together, to develop confidence in young people and to create lifelong bonds, they need the right support. This means proper facilities, proper equipment and an environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all. This is why I fully back enhancing Government capital sports funding for sports facilities.

This year the sports capital and equipment programme has also been scaled up. Its grant thresholds for local and regional projects have been increased, which I really welcome. For example, local projects that once had a cap of €150,000 can now get €200,000 and projects with regional significance have gone from €300,000 to a ground breaking €500,000.

As the Fine Gael spokesperson for equality, I am also delighted to see our commitment as a Government to gender equality through this grant. No longer will we allow the sidelining of any gender. For a project to be considered it must ensure equal access for both men and women, boys and girls. I am very encouraged to see a trend away from outdated practices like women playing club finals on boys' practice pitches but we need to move forward even more and towards full equality. I can see the power and the impact of supporting local facilities in my own constituency Dublin Mid-West. Since 2012 Dublin Mid-West has received €4.5 million in investment through the sports capital funds. That does not include the €1.5 million given to our council to develop pitches, pavilions and public spaces. Some of our soccer clubs that have been beneficiaries in the sports capital grant include Peamount United, St. Francis FC, Rathcoole FC and Esker Celtic. GAA clubs that have benefited include Round Tower, Lucan Sarsfields, Commercials, St. Patrick's, St. Finian's, and St. Mary's; and golf clubs that have benefited include Slade Valley, Lucan, and Beech Park. We also have had the Celbridge kayak club grow through this fund and Lucan Harriers Athletics Club was able to develop a fantastic running track in Lucan through this fund. We have also seen the growth of Lucan Pitch and Putt Club and Weston Hockey Club. Clondalkin Rugby Football Club also received funding through this fund and is currently embarking on really exciting story: a state-of-the-art, brand-new clubhouse and pitches at a new relocation site. Community centres, local parks, local schools and services have all profited from the growth of groups like this, including the Stewarts and Rathcoole community centres and many organisations in my community. We do have issues with clubs like Collinstown FC and Lucan United that have approved projects in the pipeline but are dependent on South Dublin County Council to progress their plans and utilise their funding.

I welcome the additional money that was approved under the community recognition fund for sports clubs in my area and I congratulate in particular Councillor Kenneth Egan, who worked really hard to secure funding for an AstroTurf pitch in Knockmitten. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, has visited Coláiste Bríde, Clondalkin, and was really impressed by the students there and their proposals for a walking track in the school. I hope the Minister of State will look favourably on their application if it made it through to grant

We have seen clubs grow in size and in engagement in our community. This is because the sports capital grant has made a genuine difference for many families and for many dedicated sportspeople. We can see it in the upgraded facilities and in community events. I have spoken to many people and clubs in my constituencies and the feedback is absolutely unanimous. Those who have benefited from these grants cannot stress enough just how game changing this funding has been for them. It is more than money and it is more than opportunities: it is a deeper sense of community pride. I have encouraged my local clubs to apply for the latest round of funding for sports capital grants and I hope they will be successful. This is why I fully endorse the Government support for supporting our sports clubs because they are the heartbeat of so many of our communities.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I begin by responding to a really useful point made by Deputy Ó Ríordáin. I welcome the changes that have been made to promote gender equality and how sports capital funding might be aligned to that goal by using real tools within the process.

Deputy Ó Ríordáin also referred to the idea of sports clubs coming together. We all know that any groups coming together will have different agendas and so on. There should be a premium payable within the sports capital system to clubs that come together. There also should be a premium for clubs that work with the local authorities, which often can be an independent facilitator of those types of agreements. While every local sports club will want to achieve the best for its own agenda, there are examples of clubs and other organisations coming together, as Whitehall Colmcille GAA, Kevins GAA Club and St. Aidan's CBS in my area did, to realise a sports capital project. That comes about because of the huge personal commitment of individuals within those clubs. It can often be to their detriment when they have to go back and answer to their own committees about why certain things were done. We should be encouraging groups to do that. There should be a premium payable where multiple clubs are involved and we should encourage local authorities to act as facilitators.

There was huge investment in my area under the previous round of the sports capital grant. I apologise in advance for plaguing the Minister of State regarding the many applications that will be made under the next round. I will speak about two projects. One is more of a regional project and the other is not the subject of a current sports capital application but I hope it will be in the future. Regarding the first project, I am giving the Minister of State an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Futsal Arena in Ballymun has had several names, including the Umbro Futsal Arena, the FAI Futsal arena and the BRL Arena. It is a tragedy that it has lain idle for ten years. Public money went into it but there are structural problems with the arena. It is built on school grounds and, to complicate things, the school in question is owned directly by the Department of Education rather than a patron body. That school and the Irish Olympic Handball Association have come together to put in a regional sports application that would make Ballymun the home of Olympic handball and give all the beneficial elements that flow from that to the school and the local community. The arena is a public facility that is lying idle. It is a strong application and I believe the Irish Olympic Handball Association will be a strong partner to the school.

My fear, however, is that the Department of Education will have its own requirements, which often can delay a project. I have made representations on this matter to the Minister for Education. I ask that the Minister of State work with her, as I have no doubt he will, to ensure that if the project is successful in its sports capital application, which I am taking for granted it will be, they will both do everything they possibly can to ensure bureaucracy, paperwork, issues around governance and so on, which are important, do not get in the way of developing this huge facility. It has several hundred seats and a fantastic brand-new surface. Futsal is an indoor five-a-side soccer sport but the arena could be used for many other activities. There are two great partners involved. Fran Neary, the school principal, and Paddy O'Reilly, one of the directors of Trinity Dome, which is another name for the project, do not take "No" for an answer. They will not allow me to say "No" and I hope neither Department will say "No" to them.

The second project involves my local GAA club, Ballymun Kickhams. Dublin City Council has been in negotiations with the club for some time and has confirmed to me that it is very close to signing an agreement regarding what is called site 31, which would allow Ballymun Kickhams GAA Club to take ownership of a significant piece of land close to Ikea. The land is right on the metro line and can accommodate two senior pitches and a clubhouse, with the possibility of encompassing an adjoining third pitch that is currently managed by Setanta GAA Club. A larger project could be facilitated there. The project is not yet at application stage. It would have been too early for us to take it to the Minister of State. I am a real believer in ensuring projects are ready before an application is made. However, the Minister of State might come out to us, meet the people involved and assist and advise us on how we might go forward. It is a regional sports project. Although it will be controlled by Ballymun Kickhams GAA Club, it has a regional benefit. It is right on the M50 and the metro line. It could be a very good substitute for Parnell Park but I would not do that to the Dublin county board. It is a fantastic location.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The chairperson of the club is well known in County Meath.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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In his report to the Dublin county board, the outgoing secretary cited the lack of facilities in the city. This site is 15 minutes from the city and right in the heart of the local community. It would be fantastic for Ballymun Kickhams GAA Club to be located back in the community we represent instead of being out near the airport in Páirc Ciceam, even though that is a great facility.

Lots of clubs in our area have received sports capital funding, including Home Farm FC, St. Kevin's Boys Club, CLG Na Fianna and Setanta GAA Club. There were lots of Dublin City Council projects, including at Glasnevin Lawn Tennis Club and Riversdale Tennis Club. More clubs will apply in the next round, including Tolka Rovers AFC, Home Farm FC and Erin's Isle GAA Club, which have been very successful previously. The money we put into sport complements the money we put into youth work and youth development projects. It complements the money we are putting into the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, to try to tackle poverty. The more we can do and the more money the Minister of State can get out of the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Michael McGrath, the better. I wish him the best of luck.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I add my voice to what has been said about the spectacular entertainment provided by the Irish rugby team. We wish all the players well into the future. Johnny Sexton, in particular, epitomised their never-say-die spirit. People might say I am a great man for jumping on a bandwagon.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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That never happens here.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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It would be a first for this place, all right.

I was at an event the other day by Turas Counselling at the Downtown Hub in Dundalk to launch its new gambling counselling service. Oisín McConville was there for the launch and he gave a powerful speech on what he said was his favourite subject, himself, that lasted for 35 minutes. He got into the ins and outs of the impact of gambling. That particular service is now available in Dundalk. There may be issues regarding a dual diagnosis pilot project in which Turas Counselling is participating. I need to revisit that with the Ministers of State who were here earlier. However, that is for another day.

I am glad to see Deputy Fitzpatrick is here. I hope he is going to tell us that everything is still very positive in terms of the GAA stadium in Dundalk. I am perfectly situated in the town, within walking distance of the stadium. There is huge support for that project and I know Deputy Fitzpatrick, the Louth county board and many others have put their shoulders to the wheel to progress it. We hope Croke Park and whoever else is necessary to deliver it will agree to do so.

A considerable number of speakers have mentioned the particular issues that can pertain to the sports capital grant. We all know about the successes. Everybody wants to see that funding coming in but, as Deputy Andrews said, there is an issue with the payment timescale that can put some projects under pressure. I agree with previous speakers that we need to see that addressed. It is also about ensuring local authorities have the facilities to deal with this. We need some sort of macro piece of work to be done between them and the local sports partnerships that would look at doing a needs analysis and then helping clubs where necessary. Not all organisations have the capacity to do that.

I was contacted by Newtown Blues GFC regarding a sports capital application it has submitted. The people there probably think I have more sway than I do.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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They were on to me as well.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The club is closer to the Minister of State's part of the world. I would like to think he has some power in this matter. I have no doubt it is a very good application. There are other applications in the locality, including from Na Piarsaigh-Blackrock CLG, which is very close to my house. This is very localised politics. There is also Clann Naofa Boxing Club.

Again, I am talking about outfits that do a great deal of work.

Turning to soccer, I spoke about this earlier to the Minister of State. I am going to put it straight. Among local clubs, Woodview Celtic FC does not currently have a pitch and would like to have what the likes of Quay Celtic FC and Muirhevna Mór FC have. I accept that sometimes we have to look at this from a municipal point of view and perhaps it must involve an element of sharing. Louth County Council is looking at certain pieces of ground that may become available in the near future, but we need to look at the council playing a leading part. While the investment that may happen in Drogheda United FC is dependent, as the Minister of State said, on council members, the League of Ireland need stadiums to be sustainable.

Dundalk FC has submitted a sports capital project that is supported by the council and the FAI. It is one of those regional applications and it relates to delivering a new pitch and lighting. We are talking about a pitch that looks the same as it did when I was playing on it as a kid in the 1980s, so it definitely needs to be rectified. A development group is working on it and, in fairness, Dundalk FC would say that the way the GAA was always ahead was in the sense that it had a plan, whereas soccer sometimes lacked that. We need to look at the LSSIF in respect of this. I accept the Minister of State has to look at outside investment and the development group is working on a plan, which will be about developments within Oriel Park. I would like to think the Minister of State and the Department will be supportive of this because it is absolutely necessary across the board.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I think that by the end of the debate, we will have named every sports club in Ireland.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I was very good. I named only a small number. I had a lot more of them on my page.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I invite Deputy Gannon to continue the trend.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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I will certainly endeavour to mention every sports club in Dublin Central and the incredible work they do. As we talk about the sports capital grant, we should begin by acknowledging that the Minister of State is a very accessible one in terms of making himself available to local sports teams, so I thank him for that.

In respect of facilities, a lot of our grassroots clubs, and in particular football clubs, a sport close to my own heart, play on pitches in public parks, as they have done for decades. Many of these parks lack the basic infrastructure needed for these clubs to become effective and, more important, inclusive organisations. Many have no changing facilities, no parking facilities, limited access points to the park and no disability infrastructure. All of that combined with almost unplayable surfaces for best part of the year makes it hard for clubs to survive.

Three clubs in my constituency - here we go, a Chathaoirligh Gníomhach - namely, Belvedere FC, Sheriff YC and East Wall Bessborough FC, play their home games both in Fairview Park and in the Alfie Byrne Road public park facilities. The latter, in particular, has been the home of East Wall Bessborough FC but that comes with massive struggles for the club, a matter I have raised a number of times, although there has been some progress. It has very limited entry points and a dearth of disability access points, which are hazardous and potentially harmful to those who try to access the facilities. The club's elderly members, parents and members of the community find it difficult just to get in to watch a game on occasion. There are no dressing rooms, the changing areas in both pitches and the walkways are by the sea, and it has always been a hotspot for antisocial behaviour. All of that, grouped with an almost unplayable surface, has forced the club to stop certain age groups playing in the park, leading to the exclusion of various age groups at least biweekly. Since the turn of 2023, there have been three separate occasions when the pitches in Fairview Park have been destroyed by scrambler motorbikes or stolen cars, an issue I know the Cathaoirleach Gníomhachhas been raising since we were both members of Dublin City Council.

We cannot talk about sporting facilities without talking about the safety of them and the link-up we need between local authorities and the Garda Síochána. Sheriff YC and Belvedere FC have had to call off games such was the extent of damage to the pitches. Most weekends, the coaches and the parents must sweep the pitches for broken glass bottles and syringes before any training or matches can commence. It has become more of an issue and is getting to the point where the pitches have become completely unplayable. Most recently, on the weekend of 12 and 13 August, all the games had to be called off because of damage to the pitches that stemmed from stolen vehicles. In one of the darkest days for grassroots football in the inner city of Dublin, East Wall Bessborough FC had to call off an under-nines game ten minutes before kick-off because a club member with physical disabilities who is a wheelchair user could not access the pitches. Other clubs in the vicinity, such as Marino AFC, which has 400 members and does incredible work in Dublin 3, have had to deal with many of the same issues, such as a lack of facilities, young people having to get changed on the corner of pitches and antisocial behaviour surrounding them.

Belvedere FC, one of the most historic clubs in Dublin, with close to 500 members, most of whom are from the north inner city or at least the north side of Dublin, was founded in 1971 and was initially formed to provide football for children who were not involved in Belvedere Youth Club, the longest running youth club in the country, founded soon after independence to give young people who had previously been newsboys an outlet. The founding fathers of Belvedere FC, Vincent Butler and the late Fergus McCabe, have changed the trajectory of so many people from Dublin's lives. The club has produced 239 international players, 16 of whom became full international players, with numerous league and cup triumphs, but the members will agree Belvedere FC's greatest success has been in providing a structure for young people to express themselves in a safe, supportive and positive environment. It does incredible work but, in the absence of a facility, its future is genuinely at risk.

A couple of previous speakers talked about clubs working together. Belvedere FC, East Wall Bessborough FC and, I believe, Sheriff YC are coming together to outline an especially ambitious plan for the Alfie Byrne Road site and they are getting a lot of support from public representatives. I have raised this previously with the Minister of State and there has been some progress in that regard. That is important and is another example of football clubs working together.

Separately, although it is an aligned issue, a local community safety partnership a couple of weeks ago highlighted how we could develop safety in the north inner city of Dublin. It claimed to have engaged with all the community stakeholders in a 52-page multifaceted document, but that document and endeavour did not in any way engage with the local sporting infrastructure, such as the local boxing clubs in the inner city, of which there are several, as well as the football clubs I mentioned and, indeed, the Gaelic clubs such as Scoil Uí Chonaill CLG, which are doing great work in providing outlets for hard-to-reach young people, not least young teenage boys who are at risk of getting involved in all sorts of antisocial behaviour. They are the first bulwark against that and, as we look to enhance community facilities and give young people an outlet that provides discipline, structure and routine, sporting clubs have to be seen as essential. The document was lacking that. As I mentioned earlier, the Minister of State is an incredibly accessible one and is always open to ideas, so linking that community safety infrastructure with the sporting ambition is going to be important. I hope we can do that.

Another issue relates to the cost of pitches, especially pitches that are being funded by public money. One game on the Clontarf Dublin City Council pitch costs €140. At the new Technological University, TU, Dublin in Grangegorman, the cost is up to €190. If we think of a kid from the north inner city of Dublin or from any part of Dublin whose family might be experiencing any sort of hardship, that is going to require about €200 or €250 in registration fees alone for the year, which makes football pretty inaccessible. Anybody who is receiving publicly funded capital grants really needs to look at themselves if they are charging that kind of money. It is an issue that will have a lasting impression.

I thank the Minister of State and the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I hope I named every football team in Dublin Central.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Every club deserves a mention. That is the least we can do in here.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Maybe I will continue the trend of listing out clubs. It is important we discuss the continued Government investment in sports facilities throughout Ireland. Before I do, however, I want to put on record my appreciation for the Irish rugby team and their efforts in the Rugby World Cup. Obviously, we all wish they had succeeded further and they do too but I thank, in particular, the captain, Johnny Sexton, for his sterling career and his contribution over the years. We wish him well.

Over the past few 20 years, Ireland’s sports infrastructure at a local, regional and national level has been transformed with Government support. Nationally, one can point to the large-scale projects such as Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium, but there has also been extensive investment at local level. In my area, for example, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, as the Minister of State will be aware, we have seen the development of new facilities or the upgrading of facilities in Cherrywood, Loughlinstown, Sallynoggin, Ballyogan, Blackrock, Shankill, Mounttown and Ballybrack, to name but a few. These new high-quality facilities have transformed the experience of a generation of children getting involved in sport.

Given the current macro-economic situation and the significant budget surplus forecast, it is critical we use this window to continue to transform sports and community infrastructure across the country. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and its sports partnership team has done amazing work partnering with local clubs to secure grants and develop facilities. Credit must go to Barry Dempsey and Shane McArdle of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown sports development and sports partnership for their efforts in this regard.

However, the message from clubs, volunteers and people working in the sector is clear. They need more funding and less red tape. The additional funding in budget 2024 is welcome. More than €183 million has been allocated to sports and recreation. The increased funding is designed to boost participation in sport at all levels of ability and across all sporting activities. It is great to see a doubling of funding for women in sport from €2 million to €4 million, and prioritising of applications that improve facilities for women and people with disabilities. Sport has multiple benefits - from the pride we feel when witnessing our high-performance athletes on the world stage, to witnessing our own kids playing sports, to the positive impact on our society's physical health and mental well-being. Sport is fantastic for mental health, well-being and confidence. It is a great leveller and I ask that the Minister of State continues to support local clubs in disadvantaged areas. I heard him speak about the criteria and his ambition for women's sports in particular. That is welcome, but so is prioritising and targeting disadvantage because sport is a great leveller.

I think of clubs in my own area. Clubs like Monkstown and Ballybrack boxing clubs do amazing work in the community with relatively little support. Athletes from Monkstown boxing club have enjoyed worldwide success and great credit is due to all the volunteers in that club. It is also important to support lifelong participation in sport. As we earlier discussed investment in healthcare, many chronic illnesses can be avoided where people continue to remain active and participate in sport. I welcome the Sport for All approach, aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to partake equally in sport and physical activity with an emphasis on accessibility, diversity and inclusion.

I will turn to the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund. I understand only €3 million of the €86.4 million allocated in 2020 to 33 projects has been drawn down. Even allowing for delays caused by Covid, this is disappointing. However, I am encouraged by reports that about half of the 33 projects should be in a position to draw down funds by the end of this year. This is something that needs to be monitored closely, and flexibility sought from the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if necessary. We have seen that issues with inflation costs can be overcome, such as with the school building programme. Where there is political will and a practical approach is taken, results are achieved. It would be a great shame if we missed this once in a generation window to expand our national sporting infrastructure. I finally want to thank the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, for his efforts and commitment in his role, including taking the time to visit constituencies and meet with sporting organisations and council officials to see facilities for himself. The Minister of State will be aware that we went out to visit a number of clubs in my own constituency including my own club, Cuala. It is welcome and I thank him for his time. I look forward to continuing to work with him and the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, over the coming months.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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The opportunity to speak on this matter is important. I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. I will start by talking about the importance of role models. Of course, we have had lots of mention of the Irish rugby team. There was mention earlier of the women's football team for their heroics during the summer. We also talked about Johnny Sexton in particular, and all that is due to him. However, I do not want to leave out Keith Earls because he is the second most prolific try scorer in the history of rugby in Ireland. That record will take some beating and I want to make sure he is given the due regard he deserves.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Hear, hear.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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It is not just him. All of them are role models through the performance they put on for us, for boys and girls, and men and women up and down the country over the course of the summer in both tournaments. We could talk about Abbie and her exploits. We could talk about Kellie and her exploits. We could talk about Gavin Bazunu, Matt Doherty and Shane Duffy. Chiedozie Ogbene in particular is a role model for young black Irish children. Of course, Evan Ferguson is also coming through. There are so many. The Minister of State and I come from a generation who are probably more likely to talk about Roy, Robbie, Frank and people like that. At the same time we can appreciate talent when we see it. Those role models and their important impact on young boys and girls across this country in terms of participation in sport cannot be understated. Without those role models, without seeing young men and women excelling at their chosen sport, whatever it might be, they cannot emulate it. They do not want to emulate it. Seeing it and wanting to be it are so important. That is the significant contribution the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme provides to this country.

I was pleased to hear the Minister of State talk about the progression of transparency within the scheme. It is really important for us to emphasise that in 2023, in something of a departure from the past, the system is now not only transparent but it is easy for a club to recognise where it has come within that process by filling out the forms appropriately, and making sure they tick all the boxes individually or with their local authority if the land is under management agreement. That is a really welcome and important step in this process. If I am honest, and this is not a remark with any intent behind it, the days of some Deputy or Minister deciding what a club should get based on their patronage to that individual politician are gone. I am glad to see they are gone. It is probably not befitting of 2023. That transparency drive the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and others have run is important.

I will also talk for a moment about the importance of the governing bodies and the skill-set they should be bringing. I have emphasised this with governing bodies when I have met them. There are unfortunately sporting clubs and organisation around the country that do not have the skill-set to fill out these forms. That is why there are traditionally successful sporting codes versus those that are not. That is why I have emphasised to sporting governing bodies that they need to help. The Government needs to help them too, to recognise there are certain sporting codes that require additional assistance to make sure they get a fair crack of the whip. I want to make sure that is said and on the record.

I will talk about the sports capital and equipment programme in my own constituency. I was pleased to see €3.5 million allocated in the last round, and I am sure we will exceed that in this coming round. I have seen first hand the value of the investment we have put in up and down the constituency and the country. I will not name the clubs, because I think pretty much every club that has applied in Fingal in the past 12 years has gotten a sports capital grant. For those that have not been successful we will be working to ensure they are successful on this occasion. I compliment the Minister of State on his comments on the 50% grant being withheld if women are not properly represented on governing boards. That is to be welcomed.

I want to spend a moment talking about League of Ireland. I tried to talk to the Minister of State about it during Question Time this morning, but we unfortunately ran out of time. The impact Euro 2028 will have on this country is measurable. The Minister of State has measured it in his response and I thank him for that. However, the investment profile that will come with ten games potentially being played on the island will, I hope, have an impact on training facilities for the nations hosted on the island of Ireland. Many Members have spoken about League of Ireland. Many Members have talked about crumbling stadia. Only one Member has mentioned the recent takeover of a club, but a number of takeovers have taken place in recent years. That indicates there is money in League of Ireland. If there is money in League of Ireland, there is an onus on them to invest in those stadia. However, not all of them are owned by those would-be purchasers. The State is the owner. I cannot stress enough that we cannot just look to Dalymount. We have to look at Tolka Park. I put my hand up as a season ticket holder, and I have been for many years. What troubles me most is that there is not a stadium in the League of Ireland at the moment, outside of Tallaght, that is not in awful condition. I wish we could rely on the clubs and local authorities to invest in them but they have clearly failed, miserably, over generations.

It is time we upped our game and improved the facilities available so the next round of Gavin Bazunus, Matt Dohertys and Shane Duffys are homegrown. Can the Minister of State remember the last time a League of Ireland player started for the Republic of Ireland? I can. It was Glen Crowe, about 15 years ago. We need to make sure that changes so that more players are bred and reared here and want to stay here because they have the opportunity to play in decent facilities at fantastic grounds up and down the country. I would like to think the catalyst for that expenditure plan by clubs and by the State will be the preparation we do for Euro 2028.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Farrell and I thank him for his assistance in temporarily taking the Chair while I needed to speak as well.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Táimid anseo ag caint ar spórt agus an gá infheistiú a dhéanamh ann. Bhí sé i gceist agam clár fichille a thabhairt isteach liom le meabhrú do dhaoine gur spórt é ficheall. Is ceann de na seanspórt ársa é. Déanann daoine dearmad go minic agus deireann siad nach spórt ceart atá ann toisc go bhfuil gach imreoir ina suí. Ach tá an inchinn ag obair agus dár le roinnt daoine, is í an inchinn an matán is mó inár gcorp.

Caithfimid smaoineamh air sin uaireanta nuair atáimid ag caint faoin spórt. Baineann an fáth go bhfuilim ag ardú an cheist seo le rince. Dancing is an art form but people often forget that it is also a sport. Next year the Paris Olympics will recognise dancing, or a form of dancing. Breakdancing will be part of it. An issue there is while we have breakdancers in Ireland, there has not been proper funding for them, though there is recognition and dancing got €10,000 altogether from the Olympic Federation of Ireland. We compete at dance events around the world. Last month, Kai and Lily-Rose were crowned European under-12 Latin champions. That was organised by the World Dance Organisation. Praise needs to go to young people like that who are competing on a world stage, whether Irish dancers or under-12 Latin champions, as in this case. I congratulate them.

We need to look at our current funding arrangements in terms of those little champions and make sure the likes of the dance sport federation are properly funded so that, in the event of an Irish team qualifying for the breakdance next year, the funding is there. There are a number of groups in Limerick, some in the city. There are some very good young breakdancers. Brisrince, a thugtar air i nGaeilge measaim. Donegal is one of the places where there are a number of very good dancers. They could be our Olympians, as well as people in other more recognised sports. There is a need for much more funding.

Táimid ag ullmhú do na Cluichí Oilimpeacha an bhliain seo chugainn agus ba chóir i bhfad Éireann níos mó airgid a bheith curtha i leataobh ag an stad seo chun cuidiú leo. Aithním an t-airgead breise atá curtha ar fáil. Aithním go bhfuil an Stát seo ina lán bealaí, ag caitheamh le spórt i bhfad Éireann níos fearr ná mar a rinne Stáit roimhe ach tá i bhfad níos mó ag teastáil. Is tír bheag muid agus tá aitheantas den scoth ag Éirinn thar lear de bharr an spóirt. Ní gá dúinn ach smaoineamh ar daoine atá luaite cheana féin cosúil le Keith Earls, Johnny Sexton agus Katie Taylor agus daoine eile atá amuigh ansin ag iompar brat na hÉireann agus ag seasamh le bród ar son na hÉireann. Tagann meas as sin. Nuair a dhéanann siadsan é sin ar stáitse idirnáisiúnta, caithfidh gach polaiteoir seasamh le chéile agus infheistíocht ceart a dhéanamh sa spórt. Ní féidir linn gach iarratas a shásamh láithreach ach ba chóir go mbeimid ag déanamh cinnte de go bhfuil an tacaíocht ag na clubanna beaga ach go háirithe le gur féidir leo tús a chur le saoil lucht an spóirt, idir fir agus mhná agus páistí ach go háirithe. Is cóir go dtacóimid leo an bealach ar fad suas.

Tagraím do leithéidí Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch agus Cumann Báire Setanta a d’eascair as. Níl a fhios agam an raibh deis ag an Aire dul agus breathnú ar an gclub atá acu agus an plean mór a bhí acu. Is club beag a bhí ann ar chrosbhóthar cosúil lena lán clubanna CLG timpeall na tíre agus tá sé tar éis éacht a dhéanamh. B’fhiú féachaint ar an gclub ó thaobh na Gaeilge de agus gach rud eile mar eiseamláir. Tá clubanna eile i ngach uile contae agus ceantar. Tá clubanna beaga i mo cheantar féin. Ní leo an talamh. Is leis an bardas nó an comhairle cathrach é. Is cóir dúinn cuidiú leis na comhairlí cathrach agus na comhairlí contae chun infheistíocht ceart a dhéanamh sna páirceanna peile atá ag na clubanna seo chun cinnte a dhéanamh de go bhfuil rugbaí, peil Gaelach, camógaíocht agus iomáint ar fáil do gach uile duine atá ag iarraidh imirt agus go bhfuil áiseanna den scoth acu.

Is cóir dúinn féachaint ar an airgead a thagann isteach ón horse and greyhound racing fund. Toisc gur airgead ó gheallghlacadóirí é, níl an t-airgead atá á chur ar gheallta ag dul i dtreo na gcapall nó ar na madraí. Tá sé ag dul i dtreo sacair agus gach uile rud eile. B’fhéidir gur chóir dúinn sciar níos mó den airgead seo a chur ar leataobh chun cuidiú le spórt agus leis na daoine óga atá ag glacadh páirt sna spóirt ar fad. Tréaslaím leo siúd atá ag cuidiú leo siúd. A lán acu, níl siad á dhéanamh go gairmiúil; tá siad á dhéanamh ar son na cúise.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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A passion for sport is in the blood of every Irish person. We are born with it and take it with us wherever we go. Our native hurling is one of the oldest and greatest field sports in the world. Our love of football has seen it become the number one participation sport in the country. We left an indelible mark at the Olympics, including the Special Olympics, where our athletes poured their hearts and souls into competing. Our ladies’ team blazed a mighty trail at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and our rugby heroes brought the country to a standstill. The country is currently awash with local team colours as county finals at all levels take place. Whether we are cheering for horse racing, applauding for golf or yelling on a sideline, there is nothing like sport to get Irish hearts pounding.

Our Irish sportsmen and women give us plenty of reasons to cheer. We are justifiably proud of our country’s sporting reputation, whether it be local, national, or international. None of this happens by accident. It takes years to reach the standard our top athletes and teams have attained. They all started out on the bottom rung of the ladder, filled with determination to climb and succeed. They have proved beyond doubt that success is possible and the door to achievement is open if they get the support they need. Key to this support is investment in the provision of proper facilities from the bottom up. Funding for sport at any level and for any purpose is always money well spent. It is not a once-off spend but an investment that can yield a myriad of returns. Without the capital support for sports facilities, particularly at grassroots level, Ireland would struggle to maintain its hard-fought place on the international stage. We cannot expect to build sporting success if we do not provide the facilities and means to nurture our existing and future talent.

The overall budget for sport in 2024 stands at €183 million, which includes a welcome €2 million in additional funding for women’s sport. Funding is always welcome. Investment and emphasis on sport gives a positive return and a yield for the country. Spending on sport gives a huge boost to local economies in a wide range of ways, which in turn boosts the Exchequer. Among the greatest paybacks from investing in sport are the health benefits. Indirectly, funding for sports facilities which encourage people to become fitter and more active helps and encourages participation in activities which lead to better long-term physical and mental health. Participation in sport also yields benefits in education that can lay positive foundations for children throughout their lives. Sport nurtures a sense of discipline and fosters teamwork and togetherness. It provides the physical and mental stimulation that is crucial to young children and teenagers. Sports boost local economies. Even a local club match will generate spending in small businesses. Restaurants, shops, pubs and garages see an increase in spending when a sporting event is held locally. On a much larger scale, national sporting events promote our country in ways that advertising could never achieve.

The spin off from hosting any major sporting event is incalculable. Yet, without investment in sports facilities at the grassroots, we risk losing all those potential benefits. If we fail to make it possible for local clubs to thrive and develop and invest in and improve facilities, our aspiring sports heroes of the future will walk away. Unlike times past, our young people now have a range of options when it comes to choosing activities. If we fail to invest sufficiently in sports facilities we risk losing future generations of Irish sporting heroes. As the Minister of State is aware, I have already advanced and promoted several applications for sports capital grants from a range of clubs and voluntary organisations across Tipperary and my new found friends in Kilkenny. I hope the Minister of State and his officials will give favourable consideration to these worthy applications.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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We all know 1.58 million people in Ireland participate in sports. Based on current population projections, an additional 1 million people will need to participate in sport on a regular basis in order to achieve the 2027 target set by the national sports policy 2018-2027. Sports clubs not only provide improvements in physical and mental health well-being, they also provide a social and recreational space for people and improve integration into communities. Sport also fosters tolerance and empathy through shared experiences and helps to bring people together.

I will acknowledge the efforts to increase female participation in sports are promising, alongside the announcement from the Minister for Finance that he plans to review the tax system to help national sporting bodies invest in facilities. This is welcome, especially for Meath and Louth. The sporting capital and equipment programme is the Government's primary vehicle for supporting the development of sports facilities. While the programme has made a difference to many communities, the impact of construction inflation on sporting clubs and community groups needs to be considered. I welcome the plan from the Minister for Finance to review the tax system.

As is public knowledge, I am the chairman of the Louth county board. We are planning to build our new stadium in a joint venture with Croke Park and help from funds through the Government's IIP initiative, along with three-year seat sales and a double house draw. I would like people to realise Louth is alive and kicking and it is to be hoped work on the stadium will start very soon. There are a lot of rising costs and financial issues. It is important to us that the entire project goes ahead. All the help we can get from sports capital funding would be much appreciated. It will help to build our facilities to a very high standard and encourage other people to participate. As I said, we need the full support of sports capital grants.

I agree that over the past number of years, a lot of money has been spent on Sporting Ireland, but it is disappointing to see that Ireland has the lowest level of investment in sports across the EU. We spend 0.4% of GDP on sport, which is half the average and a quarter of what is spent in Nordic countries. As a result, improving the levels of participation in sports is either stagnant or moving at a snail's pace. This was clear to see in the FAI 15-year plan, which starkly lays out the lack of investment in sport and substandard facilities which generations of players and volunteers have had to endure. Comparing our often heightened expectations for Irish success on an European and international level, the FAI audit should force a realignment of the requirement for infrastructure improvements and rebuilding from the grassroots, especially considering that we have been confirmed as the co-hosts of the UEFA Euro 2038 Championship.

Take, for example, Dundalk FC, my home soccer team. It has an ageing artificial playing surface, resulting in unwarranted injuries and also affects performance and potential European funding. On top of this, there is an ongoing lack of capacity as regards facilities, which is clearly strangling growth. Yet, even just to qualify for a grant a club must own its facilities or have at least 15 years remaining on a lease, which excludes hundreds of clubs from eligibility for the sports capital grant programme. We need to increase capital funding for sports facilities and provide communities with the modern sports facilities they urgently need. By investing in our grassroots, we are investing in our sporting future. Given the growth in sports of all kinds and the changing demographics, the demand for better facilities will get bigger and bigger.

As I said, with so many women getting involved in sport, it is important that we invest in facilities. We all seem to forget the amount of good work done by volunteers, whether that is in soccer, Gaelic football or athletics. It is unreal. I ask the Minister of State to invest in sports. He has done a lot of travelling around the country and has seen a lot of clubs and everything else. From being involved in sport, I realise it has a major impact on families, homes and everything else. It is an outlet for people to go out and enjoy themselves and get away from the pressure of financial strains and everything else. We all seem to come together with sport. A lot of money has been spent, but a lot more money can be spent.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Minister of State wants to look after the neighbour's child.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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The new stadium-----

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Are you talking about Kildare or Louth?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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You are talking about Louth, of course.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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We will invite you to the opening day.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I invite the Minister to respond.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank everybody who took part in the debate. The programme generates enormous interest and the Government is doing a lot for sport, as has generally been acknowledged in the Chamber. As people are wishing their local teams well, I have to mention some of my own because there are a number of Leinster games this weekend. Interestingly, Kilbride is playing Amsterdam in the junior Leinster championship. That is probably not a first, but it is certainly unusual and indicates how widespread the GAA is becoming. When I was in Paris recently, I met European GAA representatives and it was amazing to see how GAA is spreading throughout Europe. Rathkenny, the intermediate Meath champions, is playing Naomh Éanna and Dunshaughlin Royal Gales and the ladies are playing Kilmacud Crokes. I wish them all the best this weekend and I hope to be at some of those games.

There is a huge amount of talk at the moment that we are not investing in football. Football clubs can apply for sports capital grants and LSSIF. I spent a huge amount of time going around football clubs and talking to FAI officials, local leagues and all of that. In some cases, I begged them to apply for sports capital funding because I know the narrative that goes out that they do not apply. That has been true. I have visited football clubs with fabulous facilities which never got a penny from sports capital; they got it from other sources over the years.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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The FAI has been good this year.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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It has been really good. We have worked with it to make sure that happens. I pay tribute to it. That was not always the case with the FAI. I am not saying it is all its fault, but it is not all the fault of the Government either.

I do not know how many football clubs applied for the LSSIF scheme. Finn Harps FC was granted €3.99 million. I want to give that money to it and for the stadium to be built. In line with the standard procedures for grants, we are waiting for correspondence from the FAI in terms of co-funding. We are awaiting some documentation. There is also an LSSIF top-up process in place and I want Finn Harps FC to succeed in that. Officials are assessing that at the moment, but I understand it has submitted an application. We want to provide the grant and build the stadium.

Bohemians got funding for the design of its stadium and I hope there will be another round soon for Dalymount Park. It will be able to apply for funding. Deputy Ó Murchú mentioned Dundalk FC applied through the sports capital programme. I do not know which bodies have applied for that funding, but the information will be published on the website very soon. I wonder how many League of Ireland clubs will apply for sports capital funding; I hope some have because it is there and available to them.

Over the past number of years, under the memorandum of understanding with the FAI there has been a total of €62 million provided to the FAI by Sport Ireland through the Government, for 2019 to 2022, inclusive. That is a huge amount of funding. Part of that funding was stadium funding. About €2.5 million goes into the Aviva, through the FAI, every year from the Government. It is a recoupable amount of money that has to be paid back in due course. That was the deal that was done a long time ago. Huge support is being given to football.

Like a number of Deputies here, I regularly go to see Drogheda United play. I know the facilities are basically the same as they were when I was a child. However, it is a matter for the club. The private investment it has been seeking is a matter for the members, and the club is going through that process. As Deputy Farrell said, there is private investment in the League of Ireland. The story is not just about the Government; it is also about the opportunities for private investment. It is important to mention that. In general that is welcome, and there should be an acknowledgement that it is not entirely a matter for the Government, in particular where there are private investors.

Deputy Andrews mentioned the digital database of sport. That is on track to be launched very shortly, I would say in the coming weeks.

We are sorting out diaries in relation to that. I am sure the sports spokespersons will be invited to attend. That is a very important moment. I have seen the digital database in operation. On the front end, it is a website to guide the public and tourists on the location of sports facilities, trails and leisure facilities in their area. If a person wants to know where there is a GAA pitch, a walking trail or a tennis club in their area, they can look it up. It is all in there. On the back end, it is a database for the State and for those of us in sports capital to see where the deficits, problems and gaps are. We can look at that at a general level. It also allows us to identify where there opportunities are. For example, there are hundreds of tennis courts around the country that are not attached to any club. Tennis Ireland is working on how to activate these, improve them and show the public they can use them. There are lots of different ideas there, so this is a fantastic resource.

Before we start getting the criticism, this database will not be perfect on day one. It is dependent on the data that local authorities have provided to us. I think that not all local authorities have provided all the data yet. We are going to launch at about 70% and there will be mistakes. I spotted one already when I was looking at it. This is a work in progress. It is fantastic. It will be great and comprehensive but it will need a bit of time.

Deputy Devlin mentioned the issue of disadvantage. I would like to remind everybody that the most important criterion in sports capital assessment is that of addressing disadvantage. Deputy Andrews mentioned clubs that cannot raise the funds to draw down the funds. There are avenues for that and we are happy to discuss them. It is possible to draw down in stages. It does not have to be all done at once. There are also charitable or social enterprises like Clann Credo that provide funding to clubs.

Deputy Ward raised some very serious issues that we will be happy to look into in more detail if he wishes to discuss them with us. He raised a specific issue about a particular football league. He also raised the issue of Collinstown Pavilion. As Deputy Ward outlined, in relation to Collinstown and the football pitches in his constituency, we award the money. However, South Dublin County Council is the body that has decided to do the work. If it is not doing it, having received grants of, I think, more than €400,000 - I do not have the figure to hand but that is the figure he outlined - there is a problem with South Dublin County Council. That is not one of these clubs that cannot get the money together or that is a group of volunteers. This is a local authority we are talking about. We are willing to work with the Deputy to make sure that this will succeed and get off the ground.

Deputy Higgins mentioned the school project that I visited with her. I was glad to go there. It was an excellent project in an excellent school. I hope that it is successful. Deputy McAuliffe mentioned the issue of Ballymun to me on a number of occasions. I am in the Department of Education as well and one of the objectives there is that we can bring heads together, which we are doing, to make sure we can use school facilities where appropriate for the community. On the other side, it is also about trying to get schools to use community facilities. This is challenging as well for some of the reasons Deputy Gannon mentioned, such as the cost of facilities, including those on State-owned land.

Ní féidir liom gealltanas a thabhairt don Teachta Ó Snodaigh go mbeidh ficheall ar an gclár le hairgead a fháil ach b’fhéidir go mbeadh seans ag an mbrisdamhsa mar a thug an Teachta air, go háirithe má tá sé sna Cluichí Oilimpeacha. Tá mé sásta dul i dteagmháil le Spórt Éireann maidir le sin.

I think I have dealt with most of the issues raised. Deputy Gannon raised one other point about community safety and sports, which is very important. In fact, this Saturday I am addressing a conference in Drogheda under the auspices of the Drogheda implementation board. Perhaps Deputy O'Murchú has been invited to that as well. The conference is about how sport plays a role in the Drogheda implementation plan. That is very important and there may be lessons from that and the discussions that are happening in the Drogheda and east Meath area on how sport can play a role in community safety.

I thank everybody for participating in the debate. I suspect that I will have a long meeting with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, in respect of all the requests made to ensure we have all the funding necessary to fulfil these. We want to fund every sport and to make sure everybody has the opportunity to participate.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Are the LSSIF grants going to be reactivated?

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Of the 33 LSSIF grants that were awarded in January 2020, two or three of them are open at this stage. It is a few. We looked at the issues there. The pandemic and construction inflation were the issues. We opened up a top-up process to those already been awarded grants.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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How many applied for it?

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Almost all, 28 or 29, applied for it. In the coming weeks, I hope to be announcing the top-ups. I have to engage with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, on this but I hope to open a new round of the LSSIF as well. When the top-ups are announced, people will say they did not get the chance, and they did not because they did not make an application originally. However, I want to be able to open that process up again but that is going to require a lot of work for the people who want to apply and for the national governing bodies as well.

Regarding football, we have funded Finn Harps and Bohemians. We have also funded a facility in Glanmire. When we went to engage with all the national governing body about these projects around the country and how they got off the ground, the FAI decided it was not going to proceed. There is some talk of proceeding elsewhere in Cork with that particular football facility but we have not heard much in the last few months about that and we are very keen to fund. The Government has a role but it is not always about the Government.