Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on this vital issue of sports capital grants and their significance to communities right across the country, in particular in my own constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. I will focus specifically on the sports capital grants, which play an essential role in promoting healthy lifestyles and community spirit. The investment of €250 million over the last couple of years in over 3,000 groups throughout the country reflects the drive to improve facilities in order to offer everyone an equal chance to participate.

Changes were implemented in the last round, where the maximum grants for local projects increased from €150,000 to €200,000. Given the escalation in costs and the inflation we are experiencing, I believe this figure needs to be increased to a minimum of €300,000 in the next round. For clubs that do not have their own facilities, the previous scheme had equipment grants of up to €70,000. Again, with the increase in costs, I believe this needs to increase to €100,000. This would make a huge difference to clubs across the country.

In my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, we have had fantastic success in the sports capital grants. There has been recent funding for clubs like Highview Athletic soccer club in Graiguenamanagh, Carrickshock GAA club and the Young Irelands GAA club, which have gone through phases 1, 2 and 3. The grants have transformed communities and their access to sport. I am talking about sport for all, not just elite sport. For every single person, male or female, young or old, who wants to participate in sport, the facilities need to be there around the country. That is fantastic. Whether someone is an elite athlete or a grassroots participant, the opportunity is there to avail of these facilities.

I urge the Minister of State and the Government to continue to prioritise the sports capital grants in the upcoming budget and to significantly increase funding streams in that regard, with a particular focus on Carlow-Kilkenny. There is a huge sporting history and culture in both of those counties and we will be looking for as much funding as possible. Let us make sure that every single community, regardless of size or location, has access to world-class sports facilities, whatever the sporting interest may be. While it is important that our cities get this, we need to make sure that rural Ireland and rural communities get their fair slice of the pie as well. Investing in our sporting infrastructure is an investment in the future of our young people and our communities. From my perspective, it is an investment in rural Ireland as well.

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