Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Andrews for raising this matter. The Irish under-17 team are appearing in their first U-17 World Cup match in Qatar today, against Panama. I wish them well in the match. It is good to see that it will be shown live on RTÉ 2. Likewise - and, being from Donegal, I can be more neutral than Senator Andrews - I wish Shamrock Rovers and Cork well in what I hope will be a really good showcase for League of Ireland football in the FAI Cup final this Sunday. I was glad to attend the FAI Women's Cup final Sunday week last in Tallaght Stadium. It was a really good game of football between Bohs and Athlone Town, and congratulations to Athlone Town on a well-deserved win. It is good to be here today, particularly on the back of the recent budget commitment from the Government to the development of Irish football, young footballers and, in particular, an academy system.

The programme for Government includes a commitment to explore new mechanisms for the creation of football academies with the Football Association of Ireland and the League of Ireland. An important piece of work in this context is supported by an additional funding grant by the Department of €1 million to the FAI last year. That funding enabled the FAI to appoint an academies administrator to support the development of new academy programmes and to track their impact.

The grant has also enabled the FAI to produce its League of Ireland global findings report, by the internationally recognised Double Pass football consultancy, on developing football academies in Ireland, including an audit of existing academy structures and needs. The report outlines 50 recommendations which, if implemented in the coming years, could create a strong academy system that would underpin a sustainable domestic football league and, ultimately, strengthen the quality of players coming through to the national teams.

As part of budget 2026, I was pleased to announce a €3 million multi-annual allocation to the FAI to support the development of a modern and professional academy system that will provide the structures and pathways required to support future generations of Irish players, male and female, and maximise the potential of Irish football. Specific details as to how this investment will be rolled out will be set out in due course by the FAI and Sport Ireland.

The development of football is fundamentally a matter for the FAI, which, like all governing bodies of sport, is an independent, autonomous body that is responsible for the organisation and development of its own sport.

While the FAI has sought significant State funding to support its academy development plans, it is important to note the sizeable financial support directed to the FAI and to football more generally over the past few years. We have seen some €75 million in State funding allocated to the FAI between 2019 and 2024, including €30 million specifically to support football development and aimed at promoting participation in football by young people, with the balance of funding comprising Covid-specific and energy supports to the FAI and the wider football sector. In terms of State support for the development of facilities, more than €100 million in capital funding was allocated to Irish football in the second half of 2024. Under the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, €54 million was allocated in November of last year to football stadium projects at Finn Harps, Dalymount Park, Sligo Rovers and Wexford FC. I am pleased to note the recent approval by Dublin City Council of a financing proposal that should allow construction of a new Dalymount stadium to begin in 2027. In addition, we have seen €50 million allocated from the community sports and equipment fund last year to develop grassroots club facilities nationwide.

Considerable financial support has been provided by the State for the development of football in Ireland, particularly through the 2020-23 memorandum of understanding, which was also updated at the end of last year, when a new memorandum was signed with €6 million per annum in funding for the period from 2024 to 2027, with the majority of that going towards the FAI's youth field sports grants. Those grants are aimed at developing the grassroots of the game, improving coaching and playing standards, growing participation numbers and embracing communities outside of the traditional base of the sport.