The Government, through my Department and the Irish Sports Council, has worked closely with the IRFU in recent years in the development of Irish rugby. Since 1998 grants to the value of €6.8 million have been allocated for the provision of new and enhanced facilities for junior and senior rugby clubs, including funding for the provincial rugby grounds in Connacht and Munster. In total, since 1998 the IRFU has received €11.5 million from the Government in current and capital grants. In the 2001 budget the Government allocated a special fund of over €3 million to be used in the encouragement of greater under age participation in the major field sports, Gaelic football, hurling, soccer and rugby. Since then the Irish Sports Council has been working actively with the governing bodies, including the IRFU, in developing and funding programmes and initiatives aimed at increasing participation and raising standards of performance among young players, including special interventions in areas of social and economic disadvantage. In 2002 the Government, through the Irish Sports Council, contributed over €3.75 million to the IRFU for the development of young players through a wide variety of programmes.