Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy knows I have every sympathy but the problem is that the sports capital funding is not meant for rescuing anybody in financial difficulties, much as we would like to be able to do so. I accept what the Deputy says about the service given through this stadium to the community. I would love to be in a position to help. Claremont stadium is in receipt of funding from Pobal towards staff costs under the community services programme. It currently employs seven people and sponsors five community employment places. The facility is dependent on support from Pobal and community employment, CE, and could not provide the service and programmes without that, according to the board secretary. In recent years, the stadium received funding from an ESB fund to develop the lounge area into a multipurpose training facility. Currently, the focus is on renovating and expanding a training room, upgrading the dressing rooms and creating wheelchair access through funding received from the dormant accounts fund administered by Pobal. Funds will be made available after the current situation is resolved, apparently.

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