Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and Minister of State for their continued investment in the sports capital programme. Their indication that they will open this funding scheme in the first half of this year is very positive news. I know of the important role sport plays in people's lives in Mayo. We cannot but invest in facilities. In Castlebar, we are very fortunate that we have the sports complex at Lough Lannagh but there is a significant appetite to make a subsequent application for a large-scale multi-use sports complex, including a 4G football pitch and an all-weather tartan athletics track. That is really important. We did not have the opportunity to apply in 2018 and 2019 and it is six years on. Working with the local authority, this could be a really positive facility for Castlebar and Mayo, making it a sporting hub for tourism and attracting people to the county for sporting events.

I look forward to this scheme opening.

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