This Government has, to use the well known phrase, put its money where its mouth is in support of sport. Our commitment to the development of sport and, in particular, to the provision of sporting and recreational facilities has been demonstrated in very practical terms in all parts of the country. As Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism I have secured significant increases in the funding for capital expenditure for this purpose. These increased provisions include an increase of over 800% in the overall budget for sport from €17.4 million in 1997 to €61.4 million in 2002; a fourfold increase in the annual provision for the swimming pool programme from €3.8 million in 1999 to a total of €57 million for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002; allocations under the national lottery funded sport capital programme increased from €7.6 million in 1998 to €78.6 million in 2002, an increase of over 900% and an allocation of €7.55 million towards the development of Ireland's first ever 50 metre swimming pool in Limerick, which is due to open in the next few months. In that context I pay tribute to the previous Minister, Deputy McDaid.