Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The Irish Sports Council has an allocation and must make choices. I happen to agree with the Deputy and have made my views clear to the council that the programme needs to be continued. I cannot speak for the council but I understand it is minded in that direction. It must consider the total budget and determine where savings can be made in other areas so the resources can be allocated.

The work of the local sports partnerships is outstanding. I fought for the budget and kept it largely in place to maintain in the coming years the programmes on the ground, bearing in mind the employment created and the services offered to those in all the relevant sectors, including the disadvantaged, women's groups and the disabled. I am reasonably confident that will be the outcome in 2010.

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