Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, ag an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, Teachta Byrne, ar ais chuig an Teach ar maidin. This morning, myself and my colleague, Senator Blaney, would like to raise the issue of the sports capital programme with him. As he will be well aware, this is a programme that is eagerly anticipated and awaited by every sporting enthusiast and club the length and breadth of the country. I am sure there is not a sports club in the country that has failed to receive funding through this particular fund at some point. It is eagerly awaited and has been hugely successful. Post pandemic, there is more awareness than ever about the importance of sports and what sport can do. This is not just on the sporting field but also for people's mental health and it is great to see so many people availing of the facilities. Indeed, sports clubs have to be commended on extending their facilities, not only, if it is a GAA club, for hurling or football, but they have also added on walking facilities around their pitches to facilitate the entire community. This is very much welcome and I commend them on it. It is also important to acknowledge the great volunteers who are out there. They do unselfish work in their communities day in, day out, and are the true sporting heroes in my mind. They are located in every club the length and breadth of the country. The then Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Chambers, visited counties Monaghan and Cavan last year and was very helpful in directing those clubs as to how their applications should be completed. That was hugely successful. As a result, Cavan and Monaghan received record funding of almost €5 million. It is a huge amount, which I assure the House was well spent. I issue that same invitation to the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, whenever he gets time in his busy schedule to come down. All we are waiting on now is the green light as to when this fund will be open again.