Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator again for raising this matter. It gets to the heart of these large-scale sports infrastructure projects, of which 33 were allocated funding under the previous Government. Obviously, things changed dramatically after January 2020. The 33 projects in question all increased massively in cost because they were delayed due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, increases in costs for all building infrastructure projects meant that many projects changed. I know this from experience in Kildare where our county ground and the "Newbridge or Nowhere" campaign became one of the successful 33 projects that were supported nationally. However, the scale of the increase in costs meant that what was envisaged originally changed dramatically. That is why the Department and Government had to review the matter. We want these projects to be delivered and in some instances there will be a need for top-up funding and prioritisation. That is why those involved in the 33 projects were asked to make applications where that was the case.

Some of those projects have been completed. I know there is a new athletics track in Newcastle West. A number of different projects have been able to proceed and did not get caught up in this way. Connacht Rugby, where the project is a phased process, has been caught in that regard. The Government wants these projects to deliver. We see great value in supporting large-scale infrastructural projects given the huge benefits they will deliver across society and throughout the country. Hopefully, we will have a final decision on this matter very soon.