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

Almost all, 28 or 29, applied for it. In the coming weeks, I hope to be announcing the top-ups. I have to engage with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, on this but I hope to open a new round of the LSSIF as well. When the top-ups are announced, people will say they did not get the chance, and they did not because they did not make an application originally. However, I want to be able to open that process up again but that is going to require a lot of work for the people who want to apply and for the national governing bodies as well.

Regarding football, we have funded Finn Harps and Bohemians. We have also funded a facility in Glanmire. When we went to engage with all the national governing body about these projects around the country and how they got off the ground, the FAI decided it was not going to proceed. There is some talk of proceeding elsewhere in Cork with that particular football facility but we have not heard much in the last few months about that and we are very keen to fund. The Government has a role but it is not always about the Government.

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