Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Burke for his comments on the sports capital funding. He is quite correct that we gave a commitment to Government that we would run two programmes but we actually ran three programmes, in very difficult times. I am very proud of the fact that there was nobody giving out about distribution of funds because we did it pro rataand everybody got their fair share of the national cake. It was the first time it had ever been done and I do not believe it can, or should, be changed on this occasion. The sports capital should be distributed pro rata, as I did it, and everybody gets their fair share. There may be problems within the counties themselves, but at least every county gets its fair share of the national cake.

The Deputy is correct that the CLÁR programme was opened in 2006 by Fianna Fáil and it was closed by the same Government. I was glad to be able to open it again last year.

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