Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House. The Government's policy in respect of the provision of sporting facilities in recent years is a shambles, which fact everyone recognises in cases such as the Bertie bowl, Abbotstown and so on. The amount of money spent on consultants, land purchase and so on is appalling as many local sporting facilities could have been provided with the wasted money.

I will not criticise the GAA for not allowing Croke Park to be used for other sports because it will happen in time. Moreover, I compliment the reasoned leadership shown by the GAA president. I hope the GAA decides to allow the stadium to be used, otherwise, when national teams play soccer or rugby they could be forced to play their games outside the country, which would be a crying shame. I agree with Senator Kenneally that such a situation would not make for good PR for the GAA.

I am happy that the FAI and IRFU have now decided to undertake the necessary redevelopment of Lansdowne Road with Government assistance. If the FAI had been allowed to proceed with Eircom Park, it would have been up and running as a viable proposition at this stage. However, because of all the promises made about Abbotstown, the association did not proceed. As a former president of the schoolboys and youth committees of the FAI, it saddens me to see the state of the organisation after today's announcement. There appears to be more politics within the organisation than exists in this House at times. The association needs to get its act together and I hope that happens sooner rather than later because people's patience is beginning to wear thin.

Quite a sum of money has been made available in recent years for local facilities on which I commend the Minister. Senator Kenneally referred to the sports centre in Waterford, to which a sizeable grant has been allocated. However, the local authority must also come up with a few million euro. Facilities are shared between soccer, GAA, pitch and putt, a multipurpose sports hall, tennis courts and so on and are provided by the local authority for all sections of the community. Where local authorities provide such shared facilities, almost the entire grant should be made available to allow them to get on with their business and put in place necessary projects for all the people. There is too much bureaucracy involved in the allocation of grants to local sports clubs and I hope it will be reduced in some way. Obviously, from the Department's point of view, there must be transparency, openness and accountability.

We must all aspire to promote sports of all codes. Sports organisations, particularly those working with children at local level, and schools are to be complimented. We can all talk about the national organisations but the people working with young people and marking the pitches are the unsung heroes and we should assist them in every possible way through the provision of grant aid for their local clubs and facilities.