Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This morning the Federation of Irish Sport organised an extremely interesting briefing on the benefits of sport to society, job creation, leisure and health, etc. During the course of the briefing it emerged that Croke Park has just been landed with a rates bill in the region of €1.5 million more than would have been paid last year. We all know Croke Park and the indelible position it has in Irish society. We certainly know the benefit it brings to the business community of north County Dublin and the entire city. Not alone has Croke Park been used successfully for matches like the Mayo and Dublin match last week and next Saturday's hurling final replay, but it is used for conferences all year. It makes a phenomenal contribution to the finances of north County Dublin and it plays a key role in sustaining businesses. If it did not exist, I would like to see how the hospitality industry on the north side of Dublin would survive.

I would like the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to make a statement on how it is possible for a sporting organisation to be landed with that type of an increase in a rates bill. The problem is that this will be repeated not just with GAA grounds but with sports grounds for soccer, rugby, etc., throughout the country.

It just does not make sense to be funding sports, on the one hand, while taking money back, on the other. It is robbing Peter to pay Paul and bureaucracy gone absolutely crazy. We have a responsibility to deal with this issue urgently.