Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Storm Éowyn was forecast and was expected to be one of the most dangerous storms on record in Ireland, and it was. Warnings went out days in advance and, in turn, sports clubs and community sporting facilities of all sizes and statures throughout the country prepared as well as they could. Equipment was brought inside, anything that could be locked down ahead of the storm was locked down and secured. They all did what they were supposed to do.

The Government also knew what was coming. Ample warnings were given. Despite the best efforts of the clubs and facilities across the country, it was inevitable there would be damage, but the Government failed to prepare. No provision was made for sports clubs or community facilities in the fallout.

The storm hit in earnest on 24 January and to date the Government has done nothing to assist clubs affected, except to administer a drawn-out survey of the damage to be collated by Sport Ireland. I contacted the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media swiftly, within days of the storm, when catastrophic damage to facilities such as Longford Town’s stadium or the Connacht GAA air dome in County Mayo was surveyed and flagged. The response I received from the Minister on 31 January stated:

During previous extreme weather emergencies such as Storm Babet in autumn 2023, the Government introduced an emergency relief scheme for community, voluntary and sporting bodies, administered by the Red Cross. Whether such a model is followed this time will be a matter for discussion and decision by the Government.

One week later, at a time of dire straits for so many, on 6 February here on the floor of the House, the Minister made the same statement, stating it "will be a matter for discussion”. A week further on and despite all this discussion, no intervention has commenced and no work has been done to assist.

In fact, the Government's amendment to this motion, issued this afternoon, does not even mention sports or sports clubs. That is how much of a priority sport is to the Government side of this House. The Government failed its first test and the Ministers failed their first test. Their inaction is failing sports clubs and community facilities desperately seeking financial assistance to get back on their feet, back open and serving their members and wider communities.

Bishopsgate, home of League of Ireland club Longford Town, suffered significant damage during Storm Éowyn, with estimates of between €75,000 and €100,000 in damage to the club's grounds. In the very week the League of Ireland's new season commences, this club has had to close its north stand indefinitely. As well as additional costs of chartered engineers, health and safety assessments and a decrease in capacity leading to a loss of revenue, the damage has also forced the club to cancel one of its major annual fundraisers, the bank holiday car boot sale. That event brought in thousands for the club.

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