Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)

The power of sport for inclusion, integration and community in Ireland is undeniable. Our towns, villages, cities and suburbs are all home to sports clubs that have become vital social hubs for people of all ages.

In my constituency of Dublin Rathdown, sports capital funding, in conjunction with the time and dedication of volunteers, has meant that grassroots sport in our area has been able to swell membership across a number of codes and to welcome more people from our communities to share in the joy that sport brings.

This funding to support the work of our clubs and the work of national governing bodies, for everything from equipment to facilities, is crucial. The delivery of this, through the sports capital programme and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, has benefited over the past number of years our clubs, our councils and the NGBs that govern them.

There is, however, much more that we need to do to support our amateur, professional and social athletes and their supporters and I would like to speak about a couple of great clubs in my constituency by way of example. Rosemount Mulvey FC is a football club in Dundrum. The club caters for all ages and abilities and runs multiple weekend morning academies and social and competitive teams. The club always seeks to keep participation up and prohibitive cost barriers down. Through sports capital funding, Rosemount Mulvey FC has seen huge growth. The funding has been invested in equipment to support increasing numbers and teams across all age groups. While goalposts, equipment, team kits and medical kits are welcome, playing space is in short supply and high demand for teams in the club. This is why the club is seeking the development of a second pitch. Without it, the club will be forced to turn children away, which is something it desperately does not want to do.

Stillorgan-Rathfarnham rugby club is another club in my constituency that is experiencing huge growth and has benefited from the sports capital grant. The club caters for a number of boys and girls and has a thriving adult section also. It is one of the most brilliant community rugby clubs, with great ambition for both the junior and senior sections while retaining a wonderful junior club ethos. Its emphasis on making rugby fun and accessible is evident in every aspect of its work. As a former rugby player myself and a massive rugby fan, I was delighted to visit the grounds a few months ago for a ceremonial turning of the sod on its new clubhouse. The setting is stunning, nestled in the Dublin Mountains, and full of passion for this wonderful sport, one that caters for all different types of athletes. There really is a place for everyone on a rugby pitch. After decades of uncertainty and pitch leasing, the club now has a permanent home and is building that new clubhouse, which will cater for not only the rugby club but many other groups too.

The value of these bricks-and-mortar homes for our clubs cannot be understated. This really hit home for me when I attended an event celebrating 25 years of the Ballinteer St. John's GAA clubhouse during the summer.

Many other countries have large-scale legacy infrastructure from hosting major tournaments and events, such as the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London after the Olympics. In Ireland, we do not have infrastructure of that nature so we must carefully plan for it to ensure our sports communities are adequately resourced.

The large-scale sport infrastructure fund has started to deliver for our communities. The multisport campus on the Tibradden Road, which Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club enjoys, is one fantastic example of this, and many other groups will enjoy as it continues to develop. The Samuel Beckett Civic Campus in Ballyogan is another beneficiary of this fund and represents a real success of what can be achieved in partnership with local councils.

As a member of the culture, communications and sports committee, I intend to be vigilant and attentive to the balance we strike, as a State, between investment in grassroots and elite pathways funding. The kids in our local clubs need heroes to worship but also clubhouses to change in. Of course, for all of the clubs I have mentioned this evening from my area that have been fortunate to access this funding, there are many more that have unfulfilled aspirations and potential because of the lack of funding. Sport fosters community, sheds difference and celebrates the best qualities. Sport is a public good. It is through this lens that we must view these programmes and funds, and continue to push for better delivery for our clubs and centres.

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