Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil Members will find it difficult to understand why somebody would act for nothing because Fianna Fáil never did anything for nothing. They had plenty of their own advisers who cost a lot of money. When we came into government we were not lucky enough to be able to provide junior Ministers with advisers. I am honoured to have a man of the quality of Mr. Paul McGrath to assist me in the Department as my programme manager. It is great that somebody in this country is prepared to give State service for nothing and I compliment him for that. He is not on a State board and he does not get paid from a State board. He does not get paid for this job. He gives up his own time to assist me when I want him. I thank him for his work and commitment.

In 2007, when Deputy Dooley's party was in Government, the then Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism set the criteria and officials submitted the eligible applications. I will outline some of the figures, as follows: Glebe Sport Holdings in Letterkenny was allocated €250,000 - invalid; Baltinglass GAA club, €50,000 - invalid; Kilmanamagh Family Recreation Centre, €175,000 - invalid; St. Mary's GAA club in Cahersiveen, County Kerry - Deputy Dooley knows who was Minister at the time - €300,000 - invalid; Farranfore Maine Valley AC, County Kerry, allocated €5,000 - insufficient own funding, invalid.

In regard to pro ratarates, I do not know where the Deputy was when he was in government. At the time his county was receiving €114 per capita. When the Kerry Minister was in power, Donegal received €183 per capitaand Wicklow was getting €102. During this round and the previous round, I increased funding to County Clare after strong representation from the Deputy's two colleagues in the county. I have increased the allocation to counties that previously did badly. Deputy Dooley's county is going to gain substantially from this. I am happy with the way the sports capital programme has been managed.

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