Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank both Deputies for their questions. Turning to the comments from Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan first, I am conscious of the importance of the centre of excellence in Glanmire. It was great to see Cork City returning to the Premier Division. I look forward to the club's success next year. I am also conscious of the importance of having proper training facilities for the next generation of footballers. A sympathetic view is taken in respect of timelines and projected funding. This is very much done on a collaborative basis between my Department and the applicants. There is no specific cliff edge for the removal of funding. I encourage continued engagement between applicants and the Department. This is the nature of how these matters are dealt with.

There is an issue in certain parts of the country concerning land. Through the development plan process, it is incumbent on local authorities to ensure land is allocated for recreational use. Many local authorities are doing that. Our role is to facilitate grassroots and local authority applications to fund specific projects. As a Department, we are not presently in the space of purchasing land or owning a significant land bank for the provision of sports facilities. Good sustainable planning ensures this community development piece is aligned with housing supply. We must ensure that this is a core focus in any major plans in this regard.

See this speech in context