Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, and the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism before him, to the House. The Minister, Deputy O'Donoghue, is to be congratulated on bringing this long-running saga to a satisfactory conclusion. I would also like to pay tribute to the pragmatism of the Taoiseach in respect of this issue. Even though he would have personally favoured another option, he accepted that, in its original proposed form, it was not feasible.

The Government and its predecessor have done a tremendous amount for sport. Spending has increased from approximately €17 million in 1997 to €109 million in 2004, which has been of tremendous benefit to different sports clubs throughout the country. It is not the case that decisions are made at the behest of backbenchers. Extremely detailed application forms have to be filled in by clubs and projects have to stand up to scrutiny. All of us on this side of the House know of many instances of projects which perhaps we might have supported but were not successful.

I have come across this in the private sector. There is always a danger that when we engage on an ambitious project, we start filling it up with all sorts of other desirable things and the project then grows out of proportion and ceases to be feasible.