Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I request a debate with the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Byrne, on the sports capital grant, the timelines and when clubs will know more about whether they have been successful. This is obviously an important year and the Government has been very good to support sports clubs during the past three years but for obvious reasons, councillors in particular, who have worked very hard alongside their local clubs, want to make sure these clubs are supported and funded and that this is done before June. Now that the Minister of State has taken over his role, it is important we have a discussion in the Chamber with him about the role he plays.

I met representatives of one of my local clubs recently: St. Mary's hurling and camogie club in Clonmel. It is looking to redevelop a whole new pitch at the back of Raheen College in Clonmel. This is all going towards female participation and all the female teams will be playing on this pitch. It costs a lot of money to do but it is really important. We are in the position in Clonmel where we have too many teams but not enough pitches; normally it is the other way around. It is a really important project to support, along with a lot of others. In the context of where we are going over the next number of months, a debate with the Minister of State with responsibility for sport would be very beneficial.