Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank everybody who took part in the debate. The programme generates enormous interest and the Government is doing a lot for sport, as has generally been acknowledged in the Chamber. As people are wishing their local teams well, I have to mention some of my own because there are a number of Leinster games this weekend. Interestingly, Kilbride is playing Amsterdam in the junior Leinster championship. That is probably not a first, but it is certainly unusual and indicates how widespread the GAA is becoming. When I was in Paris recently, I met European GAA representatives and it was amazing to see how GAA is spreading throughout Europe. Rathkenny, the intermediate Meath champions, is playing Naomh Éanna and Dunshaughlin Royal Gales and the ladies are playing Kilmacud Crokes. I wish them all the best this weekend and I hope to be at some of those games.

There is a huge amount of talk at the moment that we are not investing in football. Football clubs can apply for sports capital grants and LSSIF. I spent a huge amount of time going around football clubs and talking to FAI officials, local leagues and all of that. In some cases, I begged them to apply for sports capital funding because I know the narrative that goes out that they do not apply. That has been true. I have visited football clubs with fabulous facilities which never got a penny from sports capital; they got it from other sources over the years.

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