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

Local authorities, to some extent take their responsibilities seriously in sports but I think that they have a great deal more to do. We especially invite applications under the large-scale sports infrastructure fund from local authorities in the coming round because local authorities have the capabilities to put these projects together. There must be an emphasis on participation, on playing the sports. Yes, we want to see stadiums around the place and they are very important but any funding which we give towards infrastructure or towards any of those capital programmes has to emphasise how this increases participation in sport. The most important criterion we have is to get those targets up.

We need more facilities in the Deputy's area, in Dublin 8, in my area and in the area of the Minister, Deputy Martin, and the local authorities have the responsibility to come up with the plans to do this and to then seek funding from their own resources - Dublin City Council, for example, is well resourced as is Fingal - but also from our Department under the various programmes we have. We are more than happy to listen to the proposals which local authorities have.

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