Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

May I make one quick intervention? I am delighted to hear the Minister, Deputy Ross, and the Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, and the officials explain a system that, thankfully, after 30 years, is now open, transparent and fair. I remember when the lottery was launched 30 years ago. I returned from Australia and saw what lottery funding could do and applied on behalf of my local soccer club. I was the second in the file to apply from a local soccer club. I remember coming to Dublin and we were told in the bar that we were getting money for the club. We were delighted but there was no huge application process at the time. Things have changed and I am delighted. I have seen other Governments where Ministers delivered ten times more for their constituents as what Dublin might receive. I want to record that I am delighted the process has changed, that it has been taken out of the political domain and that we can all make our submissions. I thank the officials for the work they have done. It has established a template for the future of fairness, openness and transparency.