Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Senators Mooney and Conway commented on swimming pools. We will have a second round shortly, depending on funding. We will do our best to spread the money as best we can and try to target it to the areas of most need. There are many applications and we must make decisions. I will make the decisions on the matter and I hope we make the right decisions. There will be a second round.

Funding from the national lottery is a matter for the Government as is any review the relevant Act. As the Minister of State with responsibility for sport I agree with the Senator about the impression one gets from discussing this with people. Everyone I meet in the country asks me where national lottery money is going on sport. I must be honest and open. The Senator is correct: previous Governments grabbed that money and put it into central Government funds. The Minister for Finance distributes this to every Department and that is wrong. People genuinely believe lottery funding goes to the Department with responsibility for sport. I wish this would happen and I would support the Senator in any efforts he and the Seanad make to support me in respect of getting it. If I got that funding it would be spent wisely.