Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

As the Minister will know, the SCP, which has been in place since 1998, has been critical in the development of sports clubs, grounds and facilities throughout the country. I started my life in sport a good deal later than the Minister, but at that time, which was not that long ago, our facilities amounted to leaky huts. There has been considerable development since 1998. I know the Minister will not be directly responsible for sport, but can he give a commitment on behalf of the Government that the SCP will be reopened and that moneys will be made available to sports and athletics clubs throughout the country? In these times, the programme could be reoriented to ensure allowances are made for capital materials. As the Minister knows, there is a strong voluntary ethic in clubs and if some type of funding was made available, many clubs could do considerable work from relatively small resources. I am asking for a commitment from the Minister that the Government will reopen the SCP.

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