Peter Kelly (Longford-Roscommon, Fianna Fail)

I apologise. I will refrain from naming names. I compliment everybody connected with the Lanesborough boxing club on all the work they are doing, especially at under-age level.

Horse racing was mentioned earlier. We are known all over the world for horse racing. Ireland is considered to be one of the best places in the world for horse racing. When one goes abroad and mentions Ireland, people talk about horse racing and the Punchestown festival, which is the largest in Europe. Every bed and breakfast and hotel is full for a 50 mile-radius every year during that festival. Some criticised the initial investment but we need to promote tourism and Ireland. We must be forward thinking. There are also excellent facilities at Leopardstown, Galway, Kilbeggan and in counties Westmeath and Roscommon. Some very famous people from County Longford have been involved in the horse racing industry. Deputies know to whom I refer — a person who was successful recently in Cheltenham.

We also have greyhound racing in County Longford. I will refrain from naming people, but there is an excellent committee involved in the County Longford greyhound track, about which we hope to hear good news shortly. The facility there is excellent.

Why would we not have the Abbotstown development? We need and want such a development. We owe it to our athletes and our people to prove that we can compete at the highest level and have the best facilities in the world just outside our capital city. It is no longer acceptable that people must travel to England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, France, Holland and elsewhere to see our athletes perform at the highest level. We want Irish sports people performing at the highest level at home so that Irish people can see them without the burden of having to travel abroad. I wish our athletes the best of luck in the next Olympic Games.

Longford has many famous sports people who have represented us well in various fields, including showjumping, horse riding, racing, football and high jump among others. The list is endless. I congratulate the Longford GAA team that won the national football league in 1966. This is their 40th anniversary and I wish them well and hope they have a joyous celebration.

I thank the Minister for the major contribution made to sport in Longford and throughout the country. A great deal of money has been invested in sport but perhaps this year a little more money could be spent. Unfortunately, with the level of demand on the resources available to the Minister, it is not possible to keep everybody happy. However, he has done a great job in trying to help everybody out and spreading the money across all sports all over the county and indeed the country.

The GAA deserves special mention for the Gaelic football clubs in Longford, which provide excellent facilities. Nobody can question the facilities sporting organisations are providing and everybody is supportive of them. I do not know anybody who is against sport or does not want to go ahead with the proposed Abbotstown development. It is in the best interests of the people and everybody connected with sport.

We need vision and leadership in this country and we have both in the current Government. We had great leadership and vision when it was proposed to develop Government buildings. Many people said the result would not justify the cost. In retrospect, it was excellent value for money. It is a wonderful monument to the people and a place of which we can be proud. It allows us to hold our heads up high and is a place to which we can invite the Heads of Government from all over the world.

We are as good as anybody, if not better than most. We hold our head up high in the sporting field. We need and want the best facilities. The people should be given what they want, namely, good sporting facilities. We should not hold our athletes back anymore. They should not have to go abroad for training. They should be able to train here with their people and in their country. Then they will have pride in their hearts and will go out into the world and win for Ireland, for themselves and for the Irish people. Deputies should not try to delay this proposed development because it is positive. It is good news and something of which we will be proud and which will contribute to the betterment of the nation. In years to come, people will look back and ask who developed the Abbotstown campus. They will say it was a great idea and the brainchild of visionaries who had a great belief in the people.

While we look forward to getting out there in Abbotstown, I do not think I will come out of retirement. I had a short sporting career. It was nothing too illustrious but I participated in various sports and was glad to do so. I encourage as many people as possible to participate in sport. When one looks at sporting participants and club members from towns and villages throughout Ireland, they are not in trouble, their names are not in the newspapers and they do not appear before the courts. Sport gives people comradeship, friendship, fellowship, loyalty, spirit and pride in their country, town and parish. It makes them proud to be Irish. Sport is for everybody. It is good. We have many good things in this country, but sport is especially good.

Let us welcome this investment and commitment with open arms. Let us move forward to allow the commitment to be brought to fruition as quickly as possible, not in the interest of individuals or vested interests but of all Irish people. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for his patience and everybody for listening. I am sure this Bill will have the full support of all Members of the House. I do not believe any Member of the House will question the commitment and good intent of this Government in providing sports facilities.

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