Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to express my disappointment that there has been a cutback in funding for this Department of over €80 million, as we have heard. It is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul in administering this section of the Department. We are delighted to see the capitation grants for sports bodies put back into play again for the coming year. While welcome the money that has been spent in recent years on the campus at Abbotsown - I think the capital fund for last years was over €24 million - according to the figures in one of the documents, the allocation for this year is down to €2.9 million this year. Are the operators of Abbotstown, Mr. John Treacy and company., happy with the progress we are making in furthering the development of the campus? I was delighted to get a tour of it recently. It was very fulfilling and tremendous to see what has been achieved to date but I came away thinking that a great deal is yet to be done. Is the overall development of the campus on target? Will people be guaranteed the funds that have been requested? Has the Minister committed the funding for when those involved are ready to proceed with rest of the developments?

On a rural basis, I am delighted with the Minister's commitment to Pairc Uí Chaoimh. We will see him down there for the Munster final in July.