Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the Deputy is well briefed in the Department, which I also understand well. This is the way the system was and the allocations in respect of rugby, Gaelic games and the athletics track were no different. The Government made a special allocation to these organisations, which picked the grantees. That is the way it is and there is no hidden agenda. That is the way it was done and I wish to put on record that this was unlike the behaviour of the Deputy's party, whose Ministers on one day put a million euro into their own towns with the sports capital grant. I operated the sports capital programme on a pro ratabasis and I hope that will never change again. I hope that no other Minister ever again will be able to do it other than on a pro ratabasis.

I also will tell the people of County Mayo what the Deputy, as well as Deputy Calleary, think of them.

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