Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister. I thank Deputy Gannon for his contribution. It is disappointing. The reason and rationale is that we want to ensure the money goes to the right place. I take on board the bona fides of every Minister who wants to make sure the fund goes to the right place but there is an opportunity for us to ensure there is a constant review of the application of the fund to ensure it goes to the right areas. Going back a good number of years, I am sure most people remember the RAPID programme where there was a very distinct area. It was around the local drugs task force areas, specifically around facilities within those very defined borders. We have done something similar to this before in ensuring there was a defined border and the money going in was going to the places that were the most disadvantaged. Unfortunately, that loosened and money was then going all over the place. Before it was cancelled, it lost its way a bit. Sometimes, unfortunately, national or local politics may get in the way and the essence of what you want to do is lost. This amendment would ensure that at least there would be a review and an opportunity for us to say whether the money is going into the right places, targeting the right people and giving the right supports to ensure those organisations that do not have the solicitor or professionals in their bodies get it. I will give examples - Mulhuddart Football Club. It is a small club. There is also Mountview Boys and Girls Football Club. They do not have the capacity to even look for the small facilities funding Fingal County Council gives in sports grants.

It is just beyond them. They are just so busy trying to keep the four or five teams going. There are bigger clubs that have 15 or 17 teams and 400 members. They have big organisations with subgroups on their committees, but I am talking about the small teams and groups. It is not just football, but all types of community organisations that do not have the ability to do that. This amendment would help ensure that we have a constant review and a focus on those groups in the most disadvantaged areas.