Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

People will no doubt be glued to their television screens when our national team rightly and proudly retakes its place among Europe's soccer elite in Poland and the Ukraine next month. It is hard to believe it is 24 years since Ireland took part in the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship in Germany. We will all take a great interest later this summer when London hosts one of the world's greatest sports events - the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Events such as these offer great entertainment and provide role models for young people taking up sport. We must always remember that life, especially sport, offers its greatest rewards to those who take part. Sport is not just about medals and trophies, satellite subscriptions or millionaire lifestyles for the few; it is about people who make the conscious effort to improve their lives and the lives of others in ways that may seem small to some, but which are, in truth, deserving of great acclaim.

Let me give Senators a couple of examples to show what I am talking about. My first example is the Special Olympics World Games movement. It is great to see people with disabilities taking part in the Special Olympics World Games; it is uplifting. My first job as Minister of State was to go to Athens to see our special Olympians taking part. I was proud of the way in which they were competing. This is wonderful. Our Paralympians will be competing in the summer. We sometimes forget they lead by example. They are people with disabilities. When we talk about the Olympic Games, we sometimes forget about the Paralympic Games. The participants are great role models for those who have had accidents or who have a disability. They take part and have won world titles, gold medals and Olympic medals. They do their sports, themselves and people with disabilities proud. They show that a disability is not a hindrance to taking part in sport. I congratulate every one of the participants.

What would we do without volunteers? Everywhere I go there are volunteers, men and women, giving of their time and effort. What would the Government do if it had to pay for such voluntarism? What would it do if it had to pay for everything done in sport? It just would not happen. We should thank those who get involved in sport. We should praise them at every opportunity and I do so in every speech I make. There are, however, the hurlers on the ditch and there are plenty of green areas if they want to play. One should not criticise those doing good for their country. One should not criticise those doing good for sport. I say to those hurlers on the ditch that if they want to take part and give of their time to help young people, boys and girls, to get involved in sport, they should just go out and do it. If they want to hurl on the ditch, they should stay away from those playing in the green areas. Again, I thank those who give of their time to help.

Let me say for the media - of course, they will not be here today and will not listen - that last year my Department announced two schemes. Applications were invited from local authorities for shovel-ready projects to provide sports facilities such as multi-use games areas which could be used for activities such as five-a-side football, basketball, tennis and volleyball, mini-pitches and outdoor gym equipment. There was also the local authorities scheme to upgrade swimming pools to make them energy-friendly. This scheme has saved a number of pools throughout the country. Let me say for Independent Newspapers, The Irish Times and those who want to listen that when these applications were placed before me, every local authority which had made an application received funding. Some local authorities did not have title or deeds to their properties and were refused on that basis. On swimming pools, there were no decisions to be made. A number of local authorities made applications. When we made an offer to them, they considered they would not be able to have the work done by the end of last year. We gave them a second opportunity and every authority which made an application received funding. I cannot understand the great headlines in the newspapers. Let us be honest, just and fair. There were no decisions to be made. I want to inform Independent Newspapers and The Irish Times because perhaps they do not understand it that there was no sports capital scheme in place since 2008. I allocated no funding to the sports capital scheme because there was no such scheme. This will be the first scheme since 2008. If they want to make a story where there is none, let them do so, but we should be honest and fair. A total of 200 applications were received and 111 allocations were made, to a value of €4.5 million. The reason the other applicants did not receive an allocation is they did not fall within the criteria laid down. The same applied in the case of swimming pools. Every applicant received funding. I am aware that in certain areas there is a difficulty with heating which pool operators are not able to maintain owing to the cost of fuel. Any applicant which drew down a grant is now telling me that there is a saving of between €1,000 and €1,500 a week on fuel. I am glad to hear this.

This is a great year for sport with the Olympic Games, the Paralympics, the European Championships, the GAA championships and the Heineken Cup taking place. Our golfers have done us proud during the years and the Irish Open is being held again this year. We are certainly punching above our weight. I take the opportunity to wish well everybody who has qualified for the Olympic Games. They will all give of their best. I see Senator Eamonn Coghlan present. He appreciates what I am saying. These Olympians, no matter what their sport, are working hard to do themselves, their families and country proud. We are not putting pressure on any one of them, but we wish them the best of luck. We also wish the Irish team the best of luck in the European Championship. It will lift the souls, the hearts and minds of the people.

I am delighted to announce today in the Seanad that €30 million is being spent. I hope we can spread it equally and fairly around the country. Expectations are high that everybody will receive funding. We expect to receive applications for a figure up to €300 million. It might not be possible to provide grant aid for every club and organisation in the country, but we will see what we can do to spread the funding equally and fairly. We will also see whether we can target disadvantaged areas.

I hope I have covered most of the issues. I will try to answer whatever questions are raised.