Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)

I most sincerely thank the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, and his Department for the excellent work they are doing in distributing this very important money. The positive effects of the funding on the sporting landscape throughout the country are extremely important. The same applies to the large-scale sport infrastructure fund and the major events programme. The sports capital grants are delivered to sporting clubs of all types in all parts of the country, including rural Ireland. Those clubs are the heartbeat of our countryside. I have seen at first hand the positive effects this funding has had on my county of Kerry.

With regard to the LSSIF funding, I will highlight one project. The Department has put more than €2 million into the Derreen project in Killarney, which the Minister of State has visited. It is a state-of-the-art project and it is disability inclusive. A total of 15 clubs will benefit from that funding, from basketball to judo to everything else in the middle.

One must spend money to make money. With the major events funding, we see the impact of the American National Football League, NFL, game last weekend. It involved €10 million of State expenditure but the game was watched by more than 7.9 million people and tens of thousands came here to attend it.

The positive spin-off from that type of investment when it comes to sport means the funding is like fertiliser. If we do not spread it, there will be no growth. Grass cannot be grown without fertiliser and we cannot grow our rural communities and keep people living there unless we invest in them. I thank the Minister of State so much for the work he is doing. Consider what the hosting of the Ryder Cup in 2027 will mean to us. Ireland can host massive events.

I must contradict in a friendly way my colleague across the floor who said we should not spend money on horses and dogs. I say to him we must not neglect the horses and dogs. People in Kerry want to keep the dogs and horses running and we want to keep the young people in sport. We definitely must not forget dogs and horses because they are very important. They are part of the heartbeat of Ireland as well, particularly rural Ireland. I thank the Minister of State again for the work he is doing.

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