Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have the opportunity to support this Labour Party motion. It is very important because we all know that sport is so important in developing youth and bringing communities together.

For many years, Gaelic football and hurling were the dominant games in Kerry but soccer is now coming forth. We are glad to see Kerry FC, which is now in the League of Ireland, doing very well this year. It needs financial support to ensure it develops further. We are glad the Kerry ladies will have an under-17 team starting out in next year's League of Ireland competition. This is very good for youngsters. The ladies aspect is progressing very much and we must ensure we help them financially. Every euro spent on sport is money well spent because once you keep youth occupied and active, it helps them in many ways. It helps their health, including their mental health, and they gain friends they would not meet if they were not involved.

A big problem for soccer and football clubs starting out concerns the ownership of fields and property. They cannot get any grants if they do not have a field or property of their own. This needs to be examined to ensure they can get funding to start out or help them to buy places.

It would be remiss of me not to mention that the Kerry team is playing Derry next Sunday. I wish the players well. They are doing very well and we wish them further success. The big problem is the paywall that has been put up by the GAA and RTÉ, preventing people who cannot travel to it from seeing the match.

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