Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge what is on the Order of Business this morning. It is really important that we have a debate this afternoon about gambling. That is necessary legislation and I look forward to contributing to it. Every time you go out to the pub, you meet people who talk about the addictions they have. It is wonderful that we are making good progress with this legislation.

I also wish to acknowledge the amount of money given out in sports capital grants. It is quite a significant sum of money. A total of €5 million was given to west Cork last week. The people of Cork South-West benefited from Belgooly to Castletownbere.

One of the clubs in Cork South-West that I particularly want to highlight is Bandon Athletic Club. It received a considerable allocation of more than €404,000. This is a thriving athletics club and community which takes in not alone Bandon, but the entire hinterland around it. It is great to think that Bandon got the recognition it deserves with such an allocation. With investments of that kind, athletics can move forward and take up its rightful place as one of the most popular sports in Ireland. In many ways, athletics has not been looked on as it should have been. It is the biggest sport there, with people of all ages and genders involved. It is a very important sport. It is great that athletics received such money and I wish to acknowledge that. I wish Bandon Athletic Club the best of luck. It is one of the most thriving sports clubs that we have in west Cork.