Peter Kelly (Longford-Roscommon, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Abbotstown sports campus project. Its development is positive news, shows optimism and is an example of what the Government is about. We are a sporting nation that can hold its own with any country in the sports arena. Our people have proved they have a love and capacity for sport. I am delighted this development, at an estimated cost of €119 million, will go ahead. A sum of €9.5 million has been provided in the budget to commence the project and the balance of funding will be provided over the period 2007 to 2010.

Ireland has many excellent sporting facilities, for example, Croke Park which is among the finest stadiums in the world. We look forward to the development of the Lansdowne Road stadium. As its record shows, the Government is committed to sport . I thank the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, who has been the best Minister for sport in the history of the State. Through his example, hard work, commitment and dedication he has proved his love of sport.

Involvement in sport is great for people. It is great to be healthy in mind and body. We have some fine sports facilities throughout the country, including in my constituency of Longford. People deserve a campus like Adamstown. They look forward to it and it is only right to proceed with the project.

There are some fine sports facilities in Longford. Longford rugby club has two all-weather pitches and the club provides great assistance to our youth through its many underage teams. I invite anybody listening to me with an interest in sport to contribute to the Victor Connell fund. Victor is a young Longford man who was, unfortunately, seriously injured in a match last November. We wish him well and hope people rally around to support him, as the people of Longford are doing.

I welcome the news from the Minister of a new six-lane 25 m swimming pool for Longford. I thank the town council, the county council and the staff of Longford sports and leisure club for their efforts to get this facility. In particular, I thank the Minister for his speedy attention to the request for a new county swimming pool. There are many excellent swimmers in Longford, including some who have broken records and won European championships. Longford swimming club and all who participate in it must be complimented on their achievements.

Longford tennis club has floodlit hard courts which are an asset to the town as they are an attraction to foreign investors in the town. The town has a successful badminton club at the Longford Slashers sports complex, a major complex which contributes to quality of life for Longford constituents. Basketball is strong in Longford and facilities are available at the magnificent Mall complex on a 22-acre site. I compliment all those connected with the Mall complex on its excellent condition. When the swimming pool is up and running we will have a wonderful facility. Recently, both the ladies and gents Longford basketball teams participated in all-Ireland finals. The Longford ladies won their competition. I compliment Mick Murphy junior and Mick Murphy senior and all involved in the basketball club.

Handball is a minority sport, but a wonderful new handball facility is under construction at Abbeylara. This will be the best handball facility in Leinster. I compliment Fr. Michael Campbell, Councillor P. J. Reilly and the Reilly girls, and the people of Abbeylara for their commitment and dedication to providing facilities for this wonderful sport. When the facility is up and running, anybody who would like to visit it will be more than welcome.

Due to Government commitment, Longford GAA now has a great stadium at Pearse Park. Compliments are owed to Martin Skelly, chairman of the county board, Pat Cahill, vice-chairman, and everybody else connected with the county board and GAA in Longford on its development. The Minister also was not behind the door on this development. He made a major contribution to the new stand and pitch. We look forward to our Dublin friends' visit to Longford for the first round of the Leinster championships. We hope to have a good sporting game. Longford is a beautiful town and we invite all of them to come and see it, even if it is only for one day. We intend to win that day, but if Dublin brings its own referee it will have a sporting chance. The Longford team has some excellent footballers this year.

I also compliment the Longford soccer club and everybody at Flancare Park. The soccer stadium is an excellent sporting facility that seats 6,000 people. Jim Hanley is the chairman and he is supported by a good committee and Longford town supporters club which is second to none. The soccer club supporters have earned the reputation of being the best behaved supporters in the Thirty-two counties. The club is seeking additional funding for a new pitch in memory of the late Shane Brennan — may he rest in peace — a young star with brilliant talent who died tragically. The Brennans are highly thought of in the community and, hopefully, the new pitch will go ahead.

There is great participation in underage soccer throughout the county. In Abbeycartron, Tom Cunningham, Ray Masterson and others cater for up to 1,000 children every Saturday. A similar project began in Ballymahon last week. I compliment the chairman, Colm Ledwith, Tony Tiernan and all in Ballymahon on the excellent work they are doing. We wish them well and I thank the Minister on their behalf for the assistance he has given.

I am glad to see that the Longford boxing club has been reformed. We wish Tony Carberry and all at the club well.

See this speech in context