Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he is satisfied with the support given to amateur boxing clubs in view of the success achieved by our boxers at the Olympics over many years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41136/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1998, under the Sports Capital Programme, which is administered by my Department, almost €7 million has been allocated to individual boxing clubs to provide facilities and equipment to the Irish Amateur Boxing Association. Included in this figure is €2,800,660 towards the development of the National Stadium and €109,100 towards high performance equipment.

The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, has a statutory role in encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive and recreational sport.

The Irish Sports Council Act, 1999 specifically states that one of the functions of the ISC shall be "to encourage the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and the achievement of excellence in competitive sport" and that the Council has responsibility for developing "strategies for increasing participation in recreational sport and to coordinate their implementation by all bodies (including public authorities and publicly funded bodies) involved in promoting recreational sport and providing recreational facilities". According to the ISC's strategy "Building Sport for Life" the ISC's mission is "To plan, lead and coordinate the sustainable development of competitive and recreational sport in Ireland".

The provision of funding to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport is the responsibility of the ISC and is based on ISC criteria. These NGBs then, in turn, provide funding to the relevant sports clubs.

In relation to the provision of capital funding I will continue to assist boxing among the many sports that receive funding under the Sports Capital Programme and I have indicated to the Irish Amateur Boxing Association my willingness to engage with it in identifying priorities for expenditure on facilities.