asked the Minister for Education if he will give details of the total allocation to sports organisations in 1985; and the amount provided for sport in 1986.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allocation to Sports Bodies.
6.
Dún Laoghaire): An amount of £1,360,000 was provided in the grant-in-aid fund for sports organisations in 1985. A sum of £1,025,500 of this amount was allocated in direct grant-in-aid to national sports organisations under various schemes to assist in the areas of coaching, administration, equipment, international competition and special projects designed to increase participation or improve standards.
A sum of £1,605,000 has been provided in the sports fund in 1986. This sum represents an increase of £245,000, or 18 per cent over the 1985 provision. Applications from national sports organisations for grant-in-aid from this fund in 1986 are under consideration in my Department at present.
As this is my first opportunity to do so, I wish to congratulate both my opposite numbers, Ministers Barrett and Kenny, on their appointments.
We are glad to see these two Ministers appointed, also.
They will have a very difficult task. I am quite satisfied that both these Ministers will bring a great improvement to the world of sport and youth affairs. Could I ask the Minister why, in the public capital programme, the provision for sport was reduced by 19 per cent from £1.3 million to £1.1 million and then in the budget this money was restored? It seemed to be a case of taking out money and putting it back again and trying to get the kudos for having brought about a significant increase.
(Dún Laoghaire): The figures given by the Deputy are inaccurate. The provision in the 1985 Estimates was £1,085,000. There was an additional £275,000 by way of budget allocation, giving a total of £1.36 million. For 1986 the provision in the Estimates was £1,105,000, with a special budget allocation of £500,000, making a total of £1.605 million.
That is the point I was making. There was a decrease——
(Dún Laoghaire): No, I shall read the figures again. the provision in the Estimate for 1985 was ——
Before the Minister does that, on a point of clarification——
(Dún Laoghaire):——£1,085,000 and the actual provision was £1,105,000.
In the public capital programme there was a provisional outturn in 1985 of £1.360 million reduced to £1.105 million, or a reduction of 19 per cent. I am quoting from the public capital programme. I welcome the increase which came subsequently in the budget. I am trying to point out that the publicity that was created as a result of extra——
That is not a question, it is comment. The Deputy will find another platform from which to make that comment.
(Dún Laoghaire): The actual figure in the 1985 Book of Estimates was £1,085,000. The 1985 budget allocated £175,000, giving a total allocation of £1.360 million. The provision in the Estimate for 1986 was £1,105,000. That is an increase.
It is a decrease of 19 per cent.
(Dún Laoghaire): It is not a decrease. The provision in the Estimate for 1985 was £1.05 million and the provision in 1986 was £1.05 million. The budget allocation in 1985 was £275,000——
The Minister is trying to cook the figures.
(Dún Laoghaire):——and the budget allocation for 1986 was £500,000, so both figures are up.
May I put it to the Minister that there is great concern among the sporting organisations at the small amount of money being allocated to each of those organisations, particularly to the organisations which are involved in community sport, action sport and sport for all programmes? These people are involved in massive voluntary activity with hardly any assistance of any consequence from the State. May I put it to the Minister that, even with the increase that he boasts about, the amount being provided for sporting organisations is negligible? Many of these organisations are finding it very difficult to continue with the very fine work that they are doing because of the lack of Government support for their efforts.
(Dún Laoghaire): I do not agree with the Deputy.
The Deputy may not have been here at the beginning of Question Time, but we decided to try to take——
We were there.
We are always there.
You are excellent.
(Dún Laoghaire): Let me tell the Deputies that I have met numerous sporting personalities who are very pleased with the allocation.
Because this is important, could the Minister repeat that please?
(Dún Laoghaire): I said that I did not agree with what the Deputy said. In my short term in office so far, the sporting individuals whom I have met are very appreciative of the level of aid that the Government have given this year.
When are the Government giving out the money? When will it be allocated?
(Dún Laoghaire): That is not to say that we could all not do with more money but we must be realistic. There are many other avenues open to sporting organisations through which to raise money.
The Minister is not getting the point.
Could I ask the Minister to name the organisations that are satisfied with the allocation?
(Dún Laoghaire): I did not mention any organisations. I said I met individuals who were satisfied.
It was the Minister's own hatchetmen he was talking to.
Order, please.
(Dún Laoghaire): We do not have hatchetmen. People in sport are sporting people and not hatchetmen.
When is the Minister going to give out the money for 1986 and what is the reason for the delay? Why can he not make the decisions?
(Dún Laoghaire): There is no delay in allocating funds. The normal procedure is that annual grants for national sports organisations are allocated around the month of April.
When making the allocation——
I am moving on to the next question.
You are not being very fair to us.
I am sorry, Deputy. I am moving to the next question.