Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

I will begin by congratulating the Tipperary under-20 hurlers on their victory over Clare in Limerick yesterday evening. I congratulate Brendan Cummins and his management team, Sam O’Farrell, the captain, and Paddy McCormack, the vice captain, on lifting the J.J. Kenneally cup. I am one of a number of Fianna Fáil TDs who represent Kilkenny. I believe the Leas-Cheann Comhairle would expect nothing less of me than to wish Kilkenny the best of luck next Wednesday against Dublin. We can cross that bridge when we come to it if we get to an all-Ireland together.

The large-scale infrastructure sport fund was announced last November prior to my election to the Dáil. Tipperary GAA applied for a multisport complex on the TUS campus in Thurles in conjunction with Tennis Ireland and Tipperary County Council. That application was unsuccessful, as was the application for funding to redevelop the Kinane Stand in Semple Stadium. Will there be a more sizeable large-scale infrastructure sport fund next time around? It is really needed. It was hard on the people of Tipperary and our sporting organisations not to receive funding last time when so many other counties did.

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