Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for making the point so forcefully. It is extremely important now that the Executive is back up and running that our commitments are matched. The Irish Government has not been found wanting in that regard. It is meeting a longstanding commitment in this regard and indeed through other forms of investment on the island for the benefit of everybody. The Irish Government has never been found wanting in its commitment to the restoration of the power-sharing Executive and the operation thereof. That is very clear from the announcement that was made last week. We will continue to work both quietly and publicly on all these matters. It is so important that we have the opportunity to discuss this here today.

The range of funding allocations that were announced last week affirm the Government's commitment to work with the new Executive and the UK Government on cross-Border investments to make the whole island a better place to live. The funding that has been announced for Casement Park is entirely additional to the two main sports capital funding streams that come under the remit of the Department of sport, namely, the sports capital and equipment programme and the large-scale sports infrastructure fund. Senators are very well aware of the details of those and indeed work on many projects in their own constituencies in relation to that. As I mentioned, the allocation that was announced last week in respect of Casement Park was deliberately done to maximise the opportunity of the joint hosting by Ireland and the United Kingdom of the Euro 2028 championship to see matches being played in Northern Ireland, as well as Ireland and Great Britain. I personally think that is hugely important.