Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will make a brief follow-up in support of the previous speaker. The severe delay in the allocation of sports capital funding is now a major concern for various sports clubs and organisations that have been waiting for investment to progress with plans and proposals to upgrade or develop facilities for some time. It is critical that the Government build on the many years of investment in this area. As the Minister has indicated, he relaunched the scheme in 2012. Many clubs, on the basis of having submitted an application on the first day, have now progressed plans to move on further. The Minister of State also created the air of uncertainty. He said he would take a special interest in this. Judging from his response to a previous parliamentary question, I am sure his colleagues below in Killarney received a rush of expressions of interest. Even that has created an air of uncertainty. From a political point of view, it has to be acknowledged that money has been allocated to the Department. If it is not spent this year, does the Minister of State propose to spend it on other sports capital projects through various other channels?

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