It is heartening that approximately €1,250 million has been spent on sport during the past 14 or 15 years. A cornerstone in the development of sport was the establishment of the Irish Sports Council in 1999, with the vision to establish a council with the focus and determination and outlook to develop sport in the Republic and also work with our counterparts North of the Border. The Irish Sports Council has received almost €500 million since its inception in 1999.