Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 809: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a football club (details supplied) in County Dublin has qualified for the UEFA Champions League and are expected to travel in early August to their away games in Sarajevo and the cost to undertake these Championship matches and thereby represent Ireland is in the region of €20,000; if he will consider a once-off grant to support this very committed and successful team and if he will advise on the other funding available to assist this club [35952/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I should like to congratulate the club on qualifying for the UEFA Champions League and I wish them every success in the competition. The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the allocation of current funding to sports organisations. The ISC channels funding through the National Governing Bodies of sport. In the case of football, funding is provided to the FAI. The Irish Sports Council has no mechanism by which funding can be provided to individual clubs outside of this process.

Unfortunately, I have no discretionary funding available to me to assist the club. I would suggest that the club approach the FAI in this matter. The FAI receive considerable funding from the Irish Sports Council to support its activities as well as to support women in sport.