Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am a sports fanatic, like himself. I was glad to be Mayor of Waterford when John Treacy, a Waterford man, was given the freedom of the city. I gave Senator Coghlan a photograph of myself with Carlos Lopes, John Treacy and Charlie Spedding, who were gold, silver and bronze medal winners in the marathon at the Los Angeles Olympic Games, Senator Coghlan and Steve Cram. I was lucky to be in the photograph and it is a wonderful photograph to have. I have been involved in soccer all my life. I have been president of the schoolboys and youth committees of the FAI.

Once again today, our boxers are doing the country proud in Baku. Several of them have already qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games. The Minister of State recently made special grants available, through the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, IABA, for boxing clubs to improve their facilities. How is that scheme progressing?