I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ring, to the House. Group spokespersons will have eight minutes to speak and Sinn Féin has three minutes. Thereafter, questions, limited to one minute, may be put to the Minister of State.
Sports Capital Programme 2012: Statements, Questions and Answers
I am delighted to have the timely opportunity to address this House on the subject of the sports capital programme. Senators will be aware that on 28 March I was delighted to launch the first round of the programme since 2008. The programme is the main channel of Government support for developing sports facilities and purchasing sports equipment for sports clubs and organisations across the country. The programme aims to foster an integrated and planned approach to developing sports and physical recreation facilities throughout the country. In particular, its objectives are to assist voluntary and community organisations, the national governing bodies of sport, VECs and local authorities to develop high-quality, safe, well-designed and sustainable facilities in appropriate locations and to provide appropriate equipment to help maximise participation in sport and physical recreation; to prioritise the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of sports facilities; and to encourage the multipurpose use of local, regional and national sports facilities by clubs, community organisations and the national governing bodies of sport.
While I was delighted to have secured funding of €30 million for allocations under this round of the programme, funding which shows the Government's commitment to encourage more people to take part in sport, the level of demand for grants will far outstrip supply. We will not know how much funding is being sought until after the deadline of 1 June, but I can confidently predict that we will have requests for funding totalling hundreds of millions of euro. This shows great enthusiasm for the sports capital programme, but it also means we will only be able to allocate a fraction of the funding sought.
While the overall level of funding distributed through the sports capital programme is sizeable, what is more important is what this achieves on the ground. Every pitch drained, every sports hall refurbished and every piece of equipment bought allows an increasing number of people to participate in sport to their maximum potential. We are all aware that sports clubs have a very important part to play in society. With so many unhealthy distractions for young people today, it is very heartening to see the great efforts being made to encourage young people to get involved in sport. Participation in sport is good for one's health, it helps build confidence and gives young people a sense of their worth. It really is a win-win situation for everybody. Individuals benefit physically and mentally, and communities benefit by having people involved in healthy pursuits that divert attention and energies away from less savoury activities. The country benefits by people living healthier and more productive lifestyles.
It is beyond doubt that when my officials begin assessing all of the valid applications, they will face a very difficult task. That has always been the case, but this year it will be more difficult than ever. This is the first round of the sports capital programme since 2008, and clubs and community groups have been waiting for this moment with much anticipation. In every parish in every county, there are people giving their time and energy to sports activities and many of these people are working very hard to provide or improve facilities that are fit for purpose and accessible. We would love to support every deserving project, but the harsh reality of life is that there are limits to what we can do. That is why expectations ought to be realistic. The outcome of this is that there is a huge demand for funding. While it is great to have secured funding of €30 million, when it is spread out across all 26 counties there will be a large number of disappointed applicants.
This time around, the programme will also be open to far more clubs and groups than ever before because the strict requirement on land ownership has been relaxed. Heretofore, all applicants had to own their land or have it on a long lease. Clubs that could not meet this requirement were ineligible for funding. This time, we have decided these clubs will now be able to apply for grants of up to €25,000 to upgrade facilities. I hope that the effect of this change in policy will be most beneficial to clubs in poorer areas. These clubs typically do not own their own land, nor do they have long leases or any real prospect of buying land in the future. These clubs will now have to provide only a letter of comfort from their landlord stating he or she is happy to allow the club to use the facility for the next five years.
In line with the programme for Government, this year's sports capital programme will have a stronger focus on projects which increase active participation in sport, particularly in disadvantaged areas. Under the programme, pitches will be drained, floodlights will be installed, sports halls will be improved and dressing rooms will be built. Thanks to these grants, people will have more opportunities than ever to become and stay active in a wide range of sports. It will also have a positive impact on job creation in construction and related activities. As many of the grants will be awarded to clubs in rural areas, this boost to the local economy will be very welcome and will have a knock-on effect throughout.
Another notable improvement in this year's programme is that the minimum amount of matching funding that clubs and organisations will need to provide themselves in order to apply for a grant has been halved since the previous round of the programme in 2008. Under this round of the programme, groups in RAPID areas will need to raise only a minimum of 5% of the project cost; groups in CLÁR areas will need to raise only a minimum of 10% of the project cost; and groups in non-disadvantaged areas will need to raise only a minimum of 15% of the project cost. These are the minimum amounts needed to apply. Clubs in these areas that provide more than these minimum amounts will improve their prospects of receiving a grant. Funding is allocated to applicants based on a combination of factors, including population, the quality of applications received, geographical balance and the need to provide a variety of sports facilities.
In assessing applications, the Department must consider whether the projects are realistic in terms of scale, costs and grant assistance sought. This year, the maximum grant available for local club or organisation projects will be €300,000. The rationale for this limit is to try to focus applicants on being more realistic in their projects. Of course, higher amounts may be allocated to national and regional projects, but with €4 million available for non-local projects, the number of grants above €300,000 will be quite low. I hope that all applicants will be mindful of the amount of funding available and tailor their applications accordingly. Ambition, in itself, is a laudable trait, but when spending money it needs to be tempered with realism.
My staff, in assessing applications, will do their utmost to ensure that we achieve a geographic spread of funding and a spread across a range of sports. The emphasis, as I have already said, will be very much on participation. This is, after all, the name of the game. It is great to watch exciting sports events on television, such as last Saturday's Heineken Cup Final between Leinster and Ulster or the start of the GAA inter-county championships. I congratulate Leinster on a magnificent achievement in Twickenham and Katie Taylor on winning a world championship for four consecutive years and on qualifying for the Olympic Games. She is a truly wonderful ambassador for sport, women's sport in particular.
Hear, hear.
People will no doubt be glued to their television screens when our national team rightly and proudly retakes its place among Europe's soccer elite in Poland and the Ukraine next month. It is hard to believe it is 24 years since Ireland took part in the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship in Germany. We will all take a great interest later this summer when London hosts one of the world's greatest sports events — the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Events such as these offer great entertainment and provide role models for young people taking up sport. We must always remember that life, especially sport, offers its greatest rewards to those who take part. Sport is not just about medals and trophies, satellite subscriptions or millionaire lifestyles for the few; it is about people who make the conscious effort to improve their lives and the lives of others in ways that may seem small to some, but which are, in truth, deserving of great acclaim.
Let me give Senators a couple of examples to show what I am talking about. My first example is the Special Olympics World Games movement. It is great to see people with disabilities taking part in the Special Olympics World Games; it is uplifting. My first job as Minister of State was to go to Athens to see our special Olympians taking part. I was proud of the way in which they were competing. This is wonderful. Our Paralympians will be competing in the summer. We sometimes forget they lead by example. They are people with disabilities. When we talk about the Olympic Games, we sometimes forget about the Paralympic Games. The participants are great role models for those who have had accidents or who have a disability. They take part and have won world titles, gold medals and Olympic medals. They do their sports, themselves and people with disabilities proud. They show that a disability is not a hindrance to taking part in sport. I congratulate every one of the participants.
What would we do without volunteers? Everywhere I go there are volunteers, men and women, giving of their time and effort. What would the Government do if it had to pay for such voluntarism? What would it do if it had to pay for everything done in sport? It just would not happen. We should thank those who get involved in sport. We should praise them at every opportunity and I do so in every speech I make. There are, however, the hurlers on the ditch and there are plenty of green areas if they want to play. One should not criticise those doing good for their country. One should not criticise those doing good for sport. I say to those hurlers on the ditch that if they want to take part and give of their time to help young people, boys and girls, to get involved in sport, they should just go out and do it. If they want to hurl on the ditch, they should stay away from those playing in the green areas. Again, I thank those who give of their time to help.
Let me say for the media — of course, they will not be here today and will not listen — that last year my Department announced two schemes. Applications were invited from local authorities for shovel-ready projects to provide sports facilities such as multi-use games areas which could be used for activities such as five-a-side football, basketball, tennis and volleyball, mini-pitches and outdoor gym equipment. There was also the local authorities scheme to upgrade swimming pools to make them energy-friendly. This scheme has saved a number of pools throughout the country. Let me say for Independent Newspapers, The Irish Times and those who want to listen that when these applications were placed before me, every local authority which had made an application received funding. Some local authorities did not have title or deeds to their properties and were refused on that basis. On swimming pools, there were no decisions to be made. A number of local authorities made applications. When we made an offer to them, they considered they would not be able to have the work done by the end of last year. We gave them a second opportunity and every authority which made an application received funding. I cannot understand the great headlines in the newspapers. Let us be honest, just and fair. There were no decisions to be made. I want to inform Independent Newspapers and The Irish Times because perhaps they do not understand it that there was no sports capital scheme in place since 2008. I allocated no funding to the sports capital scheme because there was no such scheme. This will be the first scheme since 2008. If they want to make a story where there is none, let them do so, but we should be honest and fair. A total of 200 applications were received and 111 allocations were made, to a value of €4.5 million. The reason the other applicants did not receive an allocation is they did not fall within the criteria laid down. The same applied in the case of swimming pools. Every applicant received funding. I am aware that in certain areas there is a difficulty with heating which pool operators are not able to maintain owing to the cost of fuel. Any applicant which drew down a grant is now telling me that there is a saving of between €1,000 and €1,500 a week on fuel. I am glad to hear this.
This is a great year for sport with the Olympic Games, the Paralympics, the European Championships, the GAA championships and the Heineken Cup taking place. Our golfers have done us proud during the years and the Irish Open is being held again this year. We are certainly punching above our weight. I take the opportunity to wish well everybody who has qualified for the Olympic Games. They will all give of their best. I see Senator Eamonn Coghlan present. He appreciates what I am saying. These Olympians, no matter what their sport, are working hard to do themselves, their families and country proud. We are not putting pressure on any one of them, but we wish them the best of luck. We also wish the Irish team the best of luck in the European Championship. It will lift the souls, the hearts and minds of the people.
I am delighted to announce today in the Seanad that €30 million is being spent. I hope we can spread it equally and fairly around the country. Expectations are high that everybody will receive funding. We expect to receive applications for a figure up to €300 million. It might not be possible to provide grant aid for every club and organisation in the country, but we will see what we can do to spread the funding equally and fairly. We will also see whether we can target disadvantaged areas.
I hope I have covered most of the issues. I will try to answer whatever questions are raised.
I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. His energetic and committed speech raised one's heart. I echo his sentiments on Katie Taylor who has done us proud. We wish all of our Olympians well in the months ahead. In particular, I wish the Irish soccer team every success. There was the first part of an excellent documentary about the boys in green broadcast on RTE last night. We have come a long way since the hungry days when they hardly had laces in their boots, had no budget and no support.
I wish the Minister of State well in the reintroduction of sports grants. As he will be aware, it was a Fianna Fáil initiative which was successful for many years. Unfortunately, owing to the economic downturn, it was not feasible to continue with it. However, the Minister of State has reintroduced the scheme which, I hope, will be as successful for him as it was under Fianna Fáil Governments. Certainly, in our time we transformed sports facilities throughout the country. We gave a lift to small rural communities which were struggling. Whether the grants were small, medium or big, they provided a much needed injection of capital, support and encouragement. They were of huge benefit to the various codes, many of which were struggling to keep pitches open, make refurbishments, build small stands, etc. One can see the good work done all over the country.
The Minister of State is making €30 million available for successful applicants at local, regional and national level. I strongly welcome his commitment to weight it in favour of disadvantaged communities. It is particularly welcome that RAPID programme areas only have to come up with 5% of the cost. The figure for CLÁR areas is 10% as opposed to 15% for all other areas. That is both fair and equitable and to be welcomed. I also strongly welcome the decision to waive the land ownership condition which stymied many worthwhile projects in the past.
I have a number of questions to put the Minister of State. There was a robust defence against his friends in The Irish Times and Irish Independent, for whom I hold no brief. There have always been suggestions of political bias and interference in the payment of grants and it comes as no great surprise that people are looking closely at the inordinate funding that seems to be making its way into County Mayo which I believe is receiving more than the entire Dublin region.
Not true.
Not nearly as much was allocated to County Kerry under a previous Minister.
I understand the other big beneficiary so far is the constituency of Dublin West which, by a remarkable co-incidence, is the constituency of the senior Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar. They stated the same about the former Minister, Mr. John O'Donoghue, in Kerry South at one time. What goes around, comes around. I suppose there will be a raft of applications from every county. As the Minister of State said, he has a difficult job and it is a matter of the loaves and fishes. He does not have enough for everybody.
I have one query. The closing date is a little abrupt. Online applications must be received by 1 June. The Minister of State is aware that the forms are complex and that many committees employ consultants and specialists to help them. I wonder if he would be prepared to extend that timescale by a month or two into the summer period to allow small struggling organisations the little extra time they need. From telephone calls, there is possibly a lack of communication. Naturally, most sports clubs can hear the grass grow and know when there is funding available. However, there are other organisations which would not be as clued in. I ask the Minister of State, if it is in his power to do so, to be somewhat lenient in this regard.
Everyone has to be parochial and say something in respect of his or her own area and I am no different. The great writer Dr. Bryan McMahon once said, "If it is only a pup goat, you have to be in the middle of the fair with him". I am in the middle of the fair with the Minister of State and I intend to take advantage of that. There are some very good projects in train in Kerry at present. The Minister of State will be aware of a very important flagship project, which is a joint venture involving the GAA, Tralee Institute of Technology and Shannon Development. The aim of this project is to try to develop a centre of sporting excellence in Tralee, the home of Gaelic football. I hope the Minister of State might be in a position to take a close look at what is going on in respect of the project to which I refer.
I am sure the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Deenihan, has brought the Minister of State up to speed on difficulties that have been experienced in respect of the swimming pool and indoor leisure centre in Ballybunion. Unfortunately, and as we enter the summer season, the latter was obliged to close due to a lack of funding. Those who run the centre are seeking funding to put in place a heating and small energy plant in order to try to reduce costs. It is almost impossible to break even in respect of a swimming pool, even in a resort centre such as Ballybunion. I could refer to 20 further projects in my county but these are the two to which I ask the Minister of State to pay particular attention.
The contribution of sport to the economy is well documented. There is a win-win situation in this regard. For every €100 invested by the Government in sport, €149 comes back in sports-related taxes. Some 38,000 people — 2% of the national workforce — are directly employed in sports administration. As the Minister of State indicated, everyone is aware of the importance of sport to people's health and well-being.
Value for money is an issue to which the Minister of State will be giving careful consideration. In the past there were some unfortunate examples of large sums of money being invested in major projects which turned out to be white elephants. We must guard against any recurrences in this regard. One can drive around the country — including through County Kerry — and come across projects which, despite the fact that successive Governments provided grants in respect of them, remain unfinished. Value for money is critical.
The integration of services is extremely important for those who are involved in sport. If one is going to invest money in providing a VEC with playing pitches or whatever, it is vital that local sports clubs be given access to these. If the money is going to the local sports club, then the position should be reversed. At one point, there was an element of mutual exclusivity in respect of playing fields. Local secondary schools used to have fine playing pitches, while the members of local GAA clubs were obliged to tog out and train in boggy fields. There was no communication in this regard but the position is changing. It is up to the Minister of State to ensure that such change continues.
Like many colleagues, I was previously involved in local government. We found that grants came with conditions attached, namely, that the moneys invested had to be underwritten in a doomsday scenario by local authorities. Those who served on Kerry County Council when I was a member knew all about that because we were obliged to underwrite a project relating to the replica Famine ship, the Jeanie Johnston. The council nearly went broke as a result of this project, which was originally estimated to cost €1.5 million but ended up costing €12 million. The county council and its ratepayers were obliged to bail out the project. This was because of a condition attaching to the original grant to the effect that we were obliged to underwrite the project. At the time, I was one of the few individuals involved who was not in favour of the project and who cautioned against it.
Difficulties such as that to which I refer are now arising in other areas. I have already referred to the position in Ballybunion. According to this week's edition of the local newspaper, Kerry County Council is again going to be asked to pick up the tab unless the Minister of State comes to the rescue. I hope he will do so.
The tide for the Jeanie Johnston is ebbing and so is the Senator’s time.
In that event, I will raise anchor. My final point is that local authorities should not be put in a gun-to-the-head situation in future. Local communities are always asking their councils to underwrite projects with which they wish to proceed. Councillors are vulnerable and we are all aware of the chaos that can ensue when pressure is exerted on them. I wish the Minister of State well with his work.
I call Senator Brennan, who is bursting to get out of the traps.
Tá slaghdán uafásach orm.
Tá ocht nóiméad agat.
Tá athas orm fáilte a chur roimh an Aire Stáit arís go dtí an Teach seo.
As the Minister of State indicated, this is the first round of sports capital funding for four years. All Members should welcome that because it demonstrates the Government's commitment to encouraging more people to take an active part in sport. There is a need to encourage all sporting organisations to share their facilities with others within their local communities. The sports capital programme is aimed at ensuring that sporting facilities are not left idle at weekends, on weekdays or during the summer months, particularly if they can be used for the benefit of other sporting organisations or enthusiasts.
The sports capital programme is the main channel of Government support for developing sports facilities and for purchasing equipment for sporting organisations ar fud na tíre. It will be open to many more clubs and groups than previously was the case. This is because the strict requirement relating to land ownership has been relaxed. This reduction in the level of bureaucracy is to be welcomed. In the past, all applicants were obliged to either own their land or to have it on a long lease. Clubs are now able to apply for grants of up to €25,000 in order to upgrade their facilities. I am of the view that this will encourage greater participation on the part of the young and old in the sports which these clubs promote. I understand that applications — approximately 500 in all — have been received from each of the 26 counties. In addition, in excess of 2,000 further applications have been registered online. I am sure that many more applications will be submitted before the deadline of 5 p.m. on Friday, 1 June. No further applications will be accepted after that date.
As a result of the grants to which I refer, people will have more opportunity than ever to get and remain active in a wide range of sports. This will have a positive impact on job creation in construction, which is extremely important for everyone involved in that industry. The total allocation of €30 million will benefit sports clubs, community groups, local authorities, schools and the national governing bodies of sport. Some €26 million will be allocated to smaller projects and €4 million will go to national and regional projects, with a maximum individual allocation of €300,000. I commend the decision to the effect that applications in respect of these funds can be made through the medium of Irish. This was not the case in the past. I welcome the change in this regard. I also understand that community-based and shared facilities will be prioritised for funding. In other words, one of the criteria involved will be that facilities that are being shared will be given priority. That is a good development.
All applications received by the closing date will be assessed on the basis of a number of criteria, such as the effect a proposed project will have in the context of active participation in sport and the level of socioeconomic disadvantage in the relevant area. Evaluation of applications will commence in the very near future. In light of the volume of applications and the detailed information contained in each, I am sure the process in this regard will take some time to complete. Perhaps the Minister of State might provide an indication with regard to when an announcement will be made in respect of those applications which have been successful. The Department is to closely monitor spending by clubs and organisations in order to ensure that the funding allocated will be fully expended for the purpose for which it is intended.
What is proposed here is good news for many communities and organisations. It is particularly good news for smaller clubs that were previously muscled out of the picture by larger organisations. These were better organised and had the expertise to tap into the funding available. This programme of funding is a just reward for the many volunteers who give of their time daily and weekly, to whom the Minster of State has referred. Let us suppose there were no GAA, soccer or rugby organisations, no athletic clubs and no credit unions. The Minister of State has referred to quantifying what they have contributed to communities for many decades. One could not quantify it. Although volunteers do not receive financial recognition for their efforts, the funding provided is most welcome.
I congratulate the Minister of State on bringing back the sports capital programme. As my colleague stated, he has the enthusiasm, energy and commitment to deliver these funds to the most deserving clubs and communities, from County Donegal to County Waterford and from counties Cork and Kerry to County Louth. Like him, I recognise the many sporting achievements of our people, including those of Katie Taylor and the Leinster and Ulster rugby teams. Rob Kearney is a native of my county and a neighbour. Recently he was nominated as European rugby footballer of the year. Incidentally, he started his footballing career at my club, Cooley Kickhams, which received an initial grant from the Taoiseach who, at the time, was Minister with responsibility for sport. We were not classed as disadvantaged, but the grant received represented a major contribution to the magnificent sports facilities we now have available at Cooley Kickhams. I congratulate the Minister of State who has the necessary enthusiasm. I believe he will do the right thing. As a sports fan, he is in the right Department and I wish him well. I will do whatever I can to help.
With the agreement of the House, I will share my time with Senator Jimmy Harte.
I compliment and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring. I am pleased that he holds this position not only because he is a west of Ireland man but also because he is the best man for the job. When his tenure comes to an end in four years time, we will see the benefits of what he will have done.
I am keen to see the focus placed on disadvantaged areas and areas which have been neglected politically in the past. I will welcome the Minister of State to Ballaghaderreen on 3 June for the opening of our GAA pitch. He has an important portfolio, as no one should underestimate the value of grants to local communities and voluntary groups. Apart from anything else, every grant the Minister of State will authorise will stimulate work in disadvantaged areas. Creating jobs is what we are about. Sometimes we forget that there are indirect benefits to grants for sports organisations, including considerable savings in the health budget as a result of participation in sport. I was an active sportsman in my heyday. Unfortunately, I have neglected to continue in that vein. Years ago I used to call to the town of the Minister of State once every fortnight to climb the reek, simply for the fun of it, although the last time I did it — one year ago — I almost needed an air ambulance to take me away.
In the case of every family I know, all of the children are involved in everything, including soccer, Gaelic football, basketball and so on. I have often thought I should have three wives in order that we could have three cars and they could all move in different directions to fulfil the arrangements of everything the children are involved in. Sport is huge in this country; I have never seen anything like it. Occasionally, I hear parents complaining that there is not enough for children to do in town. I simply laugh because the facilities are in place and the Minister of State will enhance them.
Senator John Gilroy and I are involved in a project with the GAA, the IRFU and the FAI. It is associated with the internship scheme and I understand the Minister of State will be launching it. When we were discussing the project, the representative of the GAA informed us that there was a significant drop-out rate among boys who played football once they entered second level education. This is an alarming statistic which we must address. I realise it is not the exact responsibility of the Minister of State, but the more money he invests in sports facilities, the more he will be making a contribution.
There was a good deal of political nonsense when it came to grants and how they were given out in the past. In 2007 a grant was promised to a club in my locality, but it was given to a different club for political reasons. The Minister of State is a fair man and I expect he will consider things from the right perspective, not from a political one.
I have discussed the swimming pool programme with the Minister of State previously. I thank him for his help and commitment to one project in my county which has only one public pool and one private pool for a population of 64,000. I mean no disrespect to Senator Ned O'Sullivan who has just left the House, but I do not know how many pools there are in County Kerry. There could be ten or 15 public pools and at least 20 private pools, if not more. It was obvious that there had been a large investment in County Kerry during the years as part of the sports capital programme, while counties such as ours were neglected politically.
Senator Ned O'Sullivan referred to value for money. I have brought this matter to the attention of the Minister previously. The way we used to do our business in respect of the swimming pool programme was open to question. The view was that such a project was one for the Government and, therefore, should be put out to tender. The companies involved in tendering submit "Monopoly" figures. I know of many others, however, and if I asked one of them how much it would cost to provide a swimming pool in my town, I would receive a quote of €2.5 million. However, when one involves those who specialise in this business and informs them that a Government grant of €3.8 million is available, the cost rises to €10 million. That is nonsense. I have met some of the people concerned in recent times. I have asked them, if there was a grant of €3.8 million available and a local contribution of €440,000, whether they could provide a pool in my town for that money, rather than expecting the county council to come up with a magic figure to boost the project for them in order that they could make a vast profit. We must re-think the way we do business. I realise the Minister of State is aware that we are involved in a process for that project and, further along, I will bring a proposal to the Minister. I trust he will be amenable to considering it favourably. I have great faith——
I have no wish to curb the Senator's enthusiasm because he is making a big impression on the Minister of State, but he is sharing time with Senator Jimmy Harte.
I am coming to an end. I work with disability groups much of the time. I spoke to one such group recently and was encouraged by its attitude towards being involved in sport, the thrust of which was: "Look at my ability, rather than my disability." It is a great modus operandi for anyone with a disability to consider life from that perspective.
Will the Minister of State indicate how many grant applications he is expecting to receive? The Minister of State mentioned the word "fraction". What fraction will each club get?
I welcome the Minister of State to the House again. It is welcome that he is providing money for good causes, and sport is the lifeblood of many communities. The Minister of State mentioned the Heineken Cup, but the GAA season has begun also and we are heading to Euro 2012 in two weeks time. Anyone travelling the country these days will see that every town and village has a 5 km or 10 km mini-marathon. People are investing their time in the promotion of their health because it will be an issue in the long term. Unhealthy lifestyles can result in a burden on our health services and the more money we put into sports, the more dividends are returned.
I welcome that the Minister of State dropped the clause under which the club needed to own the land because many small clubs cannot get money and have difficulty even renting a field. Until now they were lost in that regard and small GAA clubs, new clubs, small soccer clubs or even a boules club, which are popular in certain areas, were in a quandary as to how to get funding, especially if they did not own the pitch. It was a particular difficulty in agricultural areas where, traditionally, farmers do not sell land. The provision of up to €25,000 to get clubs operating again is welcome.
I raised the issue of the European Championship recently. The Minister of State might ask the telephone companies, on behalf of the Government or on his own behalf, about texting and roaming charges people will incur in Poland. If Ireland qualifies, which we hope we do, the next round will be played in Ukraine, which is a different kettle of fish, so to speak, in that regard. The telephone companies might make a gesture for the fans who will travel to Poland, many of whom are digging deep into their pockets to get the money to travel. Reports out today indicate that approximately 10,000 or 15,000 people will travel to Poland at some stage, although perhaps not for the entire championship. The Minister of State might make some inquiries of the telephone companies that they would help those supporters, of whom I will be one, because many of them might return to face a massive telephone bill. It is an issue the telephone companies can examine.
A Senator mentioned that certain areas got more money than others, which the Minister of State addressed, and that certain sports groups got more money because they were larger. Senator Brennan said it is important the smaller groups such as boules clubs and marginal organisations are maintained. The GAA, the FAI and the rugby organisation are well funded from their own resources in addition to television rights and so on, but the minority sports must be encouraged because not everyone is a runner, a footballer or a swimmer. People participate in other sports such as snooker. There is a social side to sport as well as a health side. A small snooker club with perhaps a dozen members is as important as a GAA club in a community with a few hundred members.
I thank the Minister of State for delivering this good news. I am sure Donegal will benefit. I look forward to seeing the Minister of State in Poland at some stage.
I join my colleague in welcoming the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ring, to the House. I am delighted he is present for these contributions.
I welcome the Minister of State to the House again. First, regarding some of the criteria for the sports grant, previous speakers mentioned the relaxation of the land ownership requirement and that small clubs which do not own land can apply for grants up to €25,000 to upgrade their facilities. Mention was made also that Katie Taylor was a great ambassador for sport, and women's sport in particular, and of her major achievement in winning her fourth world championship and qualifying for the Olympic Games. However, in the same Women's World Boxing Championships, Ciara Smith from County Cavan reached the last 16. She is 19 years of age and is a member of Cavan Amateur Boxing Club. The club was set up in 1982 and is one of those that does not own its own facilities. It rents its facilities and any funding it is allocated goes solely towards equipment, which is essential given it is a combat and contact sport. Given the demographics of many of the service users of that facility and those who play that sport, heavy demands are put on the club equipment and it is important that equipment is kept up to date. That is the reason this grant, and the relaxation of that rule, is important. I commend the Minister of State on that, especially in terms of opening up the fund to smaller clubs which were not able to access it in the past and which have, as shown by Ciara Smith, produced world class athletes.
The Minister of State mentioned the importance of sports clubs and that efforts are being made to encourage young people to get involved in sports. Not long ago in this House Senator Eamonn Coghlan spoke about the importance of health and fitness. To be parochial, one of my local clubs, Cavan Gaels, has been bringing not only young people into sport but also people of all ages. I do not have a sporty bone in my body, but in addition to encouraging young people, this club is ensuring inclusivity among all ages through a range of different activities. In its most recent initiative, Mission Slimpossible, it runs classes four times a week for people of all ages, which is of major importance to the town in bringing about a sense of community. I recently moved into Cavan town and I almost feel closer to that community than I did in my home club because of the range of activities being introduced.
Senator Harte is correct that there are many 5 km and 10 km mini-marathons being held in the area. I constantly see people running on the roads and around the football pitches. They put me to shame when I drive by them but it highlights the importance of sport and the importance of these grants to our local clubs and communities. That cannot be underestimated because it is not just sport. When I previously got involved in some of those clubs, I would have been quite ignorant of sport, but when one considers the social aspect to it and the level of community, especially in the two clubs I mentioned, I am hopeful they will succeed in their applications. I commend the Minister of State again on reopening this scheme and relaxing some of the criteria to ensure clubs of all sizes can access vital funds to continue their good work.
We now have questions from Members. I call Senator Coghlan.
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. In these economically difficult times, the €30 million that will go towards sports capital grants is very welcome. Investment in sports thus far has been proven by the fantastic results from our Olympic Games qualifiers, who number 53 and which figure is expected to go beyond 60. When we consider they are involved in swimming, boxing, canoeing, triathlons, sailing and judo, to name a few, and not including my sport, they have gone beyond their expectations in a number of qualifiers.
What can we expect from the sports capital grants? The Minister of State alluded to volunteers. I am a volunteer in the sport of athletics and can spend between ten and 15 hours a week coaching athletes and young children. I see the additional hours other volunteers in my sport put in week in, week out and year in, year out. In terms of what we can expect from this €30 million, I am aware the Minister of State has been inundated with requests. In the first week of applications in the last round in 2008, the Minister of State got 600 applications. In the first week of this round, 1,600 applications were received. Where will the funds go in terms of the spread? Will they be spread nationally and will they benefit mainly the IRFU, the GAA and the FAI which have an opportunity to raise funds, as mentioned earlier, through gate receipts, television rights and various types of sponsorship? The Minister of State said he is looking for high quality facilities. With €30 million and the spread expected in terms of the funds, I do not believe he will get high quality facilities. I am concerned that this will be a sticking plaster measure for a certain number of sports facilities throughout the nation to satisfy some local politicians in the area.
I have two questions for the Minister of State. If an application is made by an organisation which is just outside the RAPID area, but the participants in that particular sport are from the RAPID area, will they be accepted in the scheme? Would it be better to make a substantial investment in sport rather than a multitude of small sports? That substantial investment in a particular facility can be of benefit to all the sports in the area, as opposed to little bits here and there.
I would like the Minister of State to take three questions together, so I will call on Senator Ó Domhnaill and Senator Moloney.
I thank the Minister of State for coming in again to talk about sport. He has outlined how sport is important, and colleagues on all sides agree that any investment in sport provides an added yield to the economy. That was evident back in 2008, when over €600 million was spent on sport and there was a dividend back to the Exchequer of about €900 million as a result. Does the Minister of State feel that sport could be used as a stimulus in the economy? In other words, if there is additional investment in sport and everybody partakes and goes to matches, could there be an additional yield back to the Exchequer?
The €30 million for the sports capital criteria is not an awful lot of money, but it is very welcome. Will the criteria be capped in respect of the level of grant aid? Obviously if there are two or three projects worth €1 million each, they will eat up the grant aid. There are loads of applications, as Senator Coghlan pointed out, but is there a cap involved? For example, reference was made earlier to Mayo——
I referred to Kerry.
Kerry as well. Perhaps Donegal could be included when Jim McDaid was the Minister. The total allocation to Dublin last year was €325,000, which is half of what went to County Mayo. Both projects in Dublin were in the senior Minister's constituency in Dublin West.
That is not correct. I will have to correct the Senator.
That is fine. It was brought to my attention and I said I would raise it.
It was brought to the Senator's attention by a Fianna Fáil councillor who needs to get his facts right. I have answered him twice already, but he has media presence.
If you could restrain yourself for one minute——
I am not making a political point. I am trying to stress that it is important to get the geographical spread, the criteria and the upper limit right. If the Minister of State wants to refer to councillors, there is a Fine Gael chairman of Westport Town Council, Councillor Christy Hyland, who boasted that because of the exceptional allocation of funding for sports in County Mayo, the Minister of State must have a direct line to Angela Merkel. These were his words, not mine. If the Minister of State wants to refer to councillors, there are councillors in all parties.
It is only because Fianna Fáil let us down in the past.
Perhaps when he is over, he can have discussions about the eurozone crisis as well.
I wish the Minister of State well in his endeavours. I completely support him on the development of sport. It is a very important year, as Senator Eamonn Coghlan said. I have a few friends who are travelling over and competing in the Olympic Games. We wish them all well and we also wish the Irish soccer team well as they prepare for the European Championships in a few weeks.
My question was similar to that posed by Senator Eamonn Coghlan, so I will not repeat what he said. As we speak, the swimmers are out in Hungary competing in the last qualification rounds for the Olympic Games. I was again going to mention the issue of the 50 m. pools. It is very hard for swimmers to travel to Dublin or Limerick when they are coming from all over Ireland, so there is much pressure on these amateurs to fund the qualifications for the games. Before the last Olympic Games in Beijing, the UK invested heavily in cycling. This led to good results among the athletes and in the health aspect as well. Do we have any intentions of investing in any particular sport to produce results?
I am a bridge player, but bridge is never considered a sport. It is a very good sport. I would like to see it considered a sport in this country.
I will let the Minister of State out of the traps now. He can respond in his inimitable style.
Thank you. I will answer the spokespersons later, but first I will answer the three questions I was asked. Senator Eamonn Coghlan made a point about the RAPID areas. This is something we will look at. This is where facilities are outside the RAPID area but the people are actually from the RAPID area. We will give it a sympathetic view when the applications come in.
The Senator also spoke about the bigger sporting organisations. That is why €4 million of the €30 million is for regional and national projects. I am taking the credit for that and I did that because if I left it open for the €30 million, the money would be eaten up by the FAI, the IRFU and the GAA in a very short time. The other €26 million is for projects worth €300,000 or less, to try to give the smaller organisations an opportunity.
We have the National Aquatic Centre and we have been very successful in getting a number of teams to train there, including some British and American teams. We have a number of events taking place there because of the facilities, but Senator Moloney is correct that we do not have enough facilities. We will not be looking at facilities like that for the future. We will be developing the aquatic centre, but we just do not have the money to develop them around the country. When we had the money, we should probably have looked at getting more 50 m. pools, but we just do not have the resources now.
I want to put something on the record and put this story to bed once and for all. A total of 206 applications were received for the scheme to which the Senator referred. All eligible applications — 111 in total — were granted funding. Every body that made an application received funding. Applications were typically unsuccessful because the applicants did not own the land. There was one simple criterion, namely, the land must be owned by the applicant. The biggest offenders in not owning the land are not sporting organisations, but the local authorities, and Dublin is the worst of all. Another reason for a refusal of funding is when the applicant would not have completed the projects by the end of the year. That was a decision they made; not us. We offered them the funding if they were eligible, but they did not draw it down.
I hope Senator Ó Domhnaill, as an Ulsterman, does not object to what I am going to say. On a per capita basis, Sligo received the most funding in 2011 for the pools and sports capital initiative. The Senator is not far from Sligo so I hope he does not object to Sligo doing well when his party let them down over the years.
On a point of order——
The Senator does not like the truth.
I do not mind which Government gives money, but I object to the suggestion that Sligo was denied by the last Government. I was personally involved in the development of a wonderful stand for Sligo Rovers Football Club, along with all of the local representatives, including those from the Minister of State's own party. He should be balanced. I have always been balanced with him.
When I am finished, Senator Mooney can get up again and speak and I hope he does.
No, this is a point of order. He was correcting the record and I want to correct the record.
The Minister of State, without interruption.
Sligo received the most funding per capita at €19.93. I want Senator Mooney to listen to this, because he does not listen. The second highest was Leitrim at €17.49 per capita.
I am very proud of that.
The Government delivered that this time. County Mayo came third, well behind Leitrim, at only €10.76per capita and Cavan was fourth at €9.60 per capita.
And a swimming pool for Ballybofey.
Where was Kerry?
I think you will have to order a recount.
On a raw cash basis, Dublin got €1.74 million, followed by Cork at €1.41 million.
Dublin and Cork received the most. I have no problem with this, but I do have a problem with those who say Mayo received more than any other county. The Senator may not have heard my response to the allegations he made. They are not true. Dublin and Cork received the most money. I was glad to inform the House which counties received the largest per capita amounts — Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Mayo.
What about County Donegal?
What about County Kerry?
There was nothing left for County Kerry.
I wonder why.
The Minister will have to equalise the funding amounts in the new programme and look at the likes of County Roscommon.
Some more is needed in County Kerry.
I think I have answered the three questions put to me.
I would have expected more responses.
I will respond to what the spokespersons said.
The counties the Minister of State mentioned were not in Ulster.
Apart from County Cavan.
That is welcome. In case anyone thinks otherwise, the swimming pool in Ballybofey was actually provided while Fianna Fáil was in government.
I remember fighting tooth and nail for it and the then Minister, former Deputy Mary Hanafin——
It was provided for by the Government. I personally signed off on it.
The Minister of State is correct. However, the preparatory work had long been done, as he knows.
The debate is becoming disorderly.
Let me be serious for one minute. The Minister of State has referred to sums of €26 million and €4 million. It is my understanding that these sums would have always been provided. Money is ring-fenced for national sports organisations in all sports capital programmes. With regard to the sum of €26 million, is the Minister of State thinking of capping it? What would happen, for instance, if an application for a sum of €1 million was received from an organisation in west Clare? Does the Minister of State have advice for applicants on the criteria or the application of a cap in making applications?
I cannot allow further interventions.
For the benefit of those Senators who do not know, the Minister of State and I come from the west and are the best of friends. Like most good families, we have the odd spat, but when it comes down to it, we stick together. He mentioned County Leitrim. He provided a significant sum of money for the upgrading of a swimming pool my late father was instrumental in providing, with the help of the Department and the local authority.
Does the Senator have a question?
There is a context to my question. The Minister of State came to Drumshambo to reopen the swimming pool, for which my family, the people of Drumshambo and I were very grateful.
The Minister of State touched on the sum of €4 million for non-local projects. He has a limited budget and must fund national bodies such as the GAA which has done very well from the sports capital fund, and rightly so. Senator Eamonn Coghlan and others touched on the point I am about to make. There is a need for a multi-sports approach in local communities, to which the Minister is moving towards in what he is attempting to do with local clubs. In my home town of Drumshambo the dominant sports organisation, as in many rural towns, is the GAA, but there are children who, probably, do not want to be involved in Gaelic games and would like to be participating in other sports. There is a lack of facilities for these children. I see a start being made in this regard and have no doubt the Minister of State will be fighting tigerishly to ensure more money is provided for such facilities. I would like him to follow on because he has made a very good start in providing multi-sports facilities. I would be interested to hear his opinion on this suggestion, although I do not wish to deflect from the extraordinary work the GAA has done.
Will the Minister of State consider pushing the GAA, in particular, towards local arrangements similar to what the association has done in the case of Croke Park? I know this is a sensitive issue, but that sensitivity is now off the agenda. There is a general acceptance among the GAA fraternity that the Croke Park sports deal was a good one for Irish sport. Perhaps this idea might be linked with other large stadiums throughout the country and provide an opportunity for the GAA, at regional and local level, to make money from international events. For example, Thomond Park is being looked at as a possible venue for international football games this summer, although there has been some controversy about bringing Barcelona FC and various others clubs here to play. Could McHale Park in Castlebar, for example, host a major event that would benefit the local community?
I was not aware that local government was involved in the topping up procedure. That is good, as local authorities are in a position to identify priorities at local level. Like the Minister of State, many Senators come from a strong local government background. I see this topping up as strengthening local government. In future allocations the Minister of State might look at how local government could play an important part in liaising with sports bodies.
Overall, I applaud the Minister of State for the initiative he has taken. As I said on previous occasions, he hit the ground running. He spoke about per capita spending — I know that is the jargon used. There are 30,000 people living in County Leitrim and, on a per capita basis, it looks as though the county receives a good deal of funding. However, that is not to diminish the Minister of State’s achievements. We are very grateful for the money we receive. Because it is a small county and the Minister of State has to consider the bigger picture, we have to fight a little harder to get what we want. The Minister of State will agree that, on a global basis, the west in general has to fight harder than the rest of the country.
We will confine questioners to one minute.
It never ceases to amaze me, given what went on in constituencies like Bull O'Donoghue's, how Opposition Senators criticise the Minister of State about the allocation of sports funding. To use a well known sporting colloquialism, they have necks like a jockey's you know what.
The Senator is on the Government side of the House. When he is sitting on this side, we will be very interested in his contributions.
Senator James Heffernan has used 20 seconds of his allocation.
I welcome the funding allocations announced by the Minister of State. Much of the land and many of the sports halls and community facilities used by sports clubs are not owned by the clubs but by community development groups. Can these groups apply for sports capital funding or does an applicant have to be affiliated to a sports club or organisation?
I welcome the Minister of State. This is the first opportunity I have had to do so. He is made for the job and I wish him the very best of luck. Apart from ring-fencing, if he will excuse the pun, money for County Mayo, I hope he will ensure County Cavan moves from fourth to first on this occasion.
It is welcome that the Minister of State is considering grant-aiding facilities located outside RAPID programme areas. In my town facilities are used by people who live in RAPID programme areas. It is welcome the news that the Minister of State is looking at that issue.
With my colleagues, I pay tribute to Ms Ciara Smith from County Cavan who reached the final 16 in the recent world boxing championships in China. I also pay tribute to her coach, Mr. Brian McKeown, who has done tremendous work with young people in Cavan town for the last 25 years.
Will the Minister of State be imposing a time limit in drawing down funding? In the past clubs and organisations granted a sum of money sometimes took up to five years to draw it down, preventing others from applying for funding.
I welcome the Minister of State and I am glad to hear his response to Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill, or Joey Barton. I hope he will show him a red card, which is what he needs.
I do not think people fully realise the amount of work the Minister of State has done behind the scenes and the struggle he had with the Department of Finance to get this money. I commend him for this, as he has done fantastic work.
When the HSE PPARS computer project did not work, the then Minister, former Deputy Noel Dempsey, said the €250 million that it had cost was only a small amount of money. Are we saying that €250 million was only a small amount of money? Let us imagine what we could do if we had €250 million to invest in sports development in this country. Ms Katie Taylor was mentioned, and rightly so. When I hear a reference to her being the best, I agree, because she is.
My sport is soccer. I am aware the Minister of State is a great supporter of women's soccer in particular. Bus Éireann is sponsor of the Women's National League which started recently. I attended the sports awards recently with the Minister of State and we saw fantastic players coming through. Ms Marie Curtin from Cork has secured a professional contract to play in Norway. We will hear a great deal of talk about Ms Denise O'Sullivan from Cork and Ms Stephanie Roche from Dublin. There are many other female players who are pound for pound among the best soccer players, male or female, that I have seen. They are fantastic.
I have two quick questions for the Minister of State. When are applicants likely to be informed they have been successful? I travelled a good bit, at my own expense, in Italy and France in recent years to look at sports facilities. The one thing that strikes me about them is the municipal nature of sports pitches which cater for rugby, soccer and running. Provision is made for every single sport. They are fantastic. The economies of scale that can be achieved are fantastic. It might be aspirational, but would the Minister of State be open to the idea of creating a series of municipal centres throughout the country if we got the money to do it? Is it something he would be willing to consider?
I will begin with the first of the four questions on shared facilities. I agree with the Senator. He is like me. He is a sportsman. I do not mind whether people play Gaelic games, soccer or rugby. It does not matter what sport a person plays as long as they play. I would not interfere with the day-to-day business of the GAA but the Senator is correct that at community level all the codes — soccer, Gaelic and rugby — are working together. Priority will be given in this round to people who are sharing facilities because we do not have the resources.
What happens is that when a GAA club gets an AstroTurf pitch then the soccer club wants one also. There should be one pitch in a town. There is no need for more than that. We must examine the issue. We will take such matters into consideration in this round. It will be part of the sports strategy. This is the first time we have ever had a policy on sport. The number one priority will be shared facilities and carrying out an audit to see what is available in every town. We will see what is in Roscommon, Cork and Kerry. If facilities exist and another club is looking for the same facility, we will say "No". We will have to be strong. We must make decisions based on what is good for sport. That is what we will do in this round.
A question was asked about the governing bodies. The Senator is correct. They have had a good run — the GAA, soccer and rugby authorities. We are very proud of the stadia and how we can attract any international event to various locations throughout the country. We do not have enough of them and wish we had more, but we do not. This time I want to work from the bottom up.
A Senator referred to boxing. Last year I allocated €1.25 million to boxing. Again, I did not get involved. I asked the federation to administer the scheme. Not much of the money has been drawn down. I am somewhat disappointed as I wish it had drawn down more. The reason I made the allocation is that more women are now becoming involved in sport, including boxing, and it would be wrong if the dressing rooms and facilities were not available for them. I asked the organisation to speak to the clubs and asked them to send in applications. We provided €25,000 per club to improve the facilities, in particular to provide facilities for clubs where women are involved. The total allocated was €1.25 million. I targeted the boxing area because I felt that boxing had not done well from national lottery funding and sports capital funding in recent years. As the Senator outlined, boxing clubs do not own their facilities. That is why I introduced a rule allowing clubs to draw down €25,000 if they have a lease and can provide a letter from the owner stating they will remain in situ for the next five years. That gives clubs an opportunity and shows we respect boxing.
What a wonderful result we have had from the boxers.
That is correct. They are performing well. The sunset clause was always in place but it was never used. A total of €55.5 million has been allocated for projects. The first thing that is said to me is that the money is in the Department. It is not. If everyone wanted to draw down the money at the same time we would have to get it for them. The situation is that the money relates to grants that have been allocated five or six years ago. We frequently write to ask what is happening. I received a number of requests to extend the process and we gave them the opportunity. As they are voluntary organisations, we want to give them the opportunity to draw down the funding, but a time must come to bring the process to an end.
A question was asked about when we will make announcements on new grant allocations. We have scheduled it for the autumn to winter period as there will be so many applications. Given we do not have as many staff as previously, it will take a bit longer to adjudicate on them. As soon as we have them ready, be it October or November, we will allocate the money and let people get started. Too many clubs have too many allocations that are not being drawn down. I do not say I will do it but I will consider putting a timeframe of perhaps 18 months to two years on allocations. I will suggest starting the process from the day an allocation is received that there is no point in coming back after two years because if the funding has not been drawn down, it is too late. What is happening is wrong because it is holding up the process.
Reference was made to swimming pools. There is a demand for swimming pools. The programme is in place and money is available but people cannot get the matching funds to work on projects. In particular, I am keen to give an opportunity to make applications to disadvantaged areas and places that do not have swimming pools. The scheme is closed but I must try to open it again. The problem is that commitments have been made on previous applications.
The Senator is correct about shared facilities. I was in Athy yesterday — it was a pleasure to be there — in connection with the local sports partnership of which Mr. Niall Quinn is chairman. Between four and six schools had come together and located their facilities in one area. It was managed by the VEC. Everyone was happy. What has been proposed is the ideal solution, if one could locate sporting facilities in a certain area in a town or county. GAA pitches, soccer pitches and rugby pitches would all be together.
Another speaker referred to local authorities. I could defend the previous Minister who had responsibility for this area. Sometimes in Dublin people tend to forget that local authorities play a major part in the provision of facilities and sports grounds. That does not happen in Mayo or Kerry where local communities have to raise funding to purchase the grounds and fund the day-to-day running of the facilities. It is easy for journalists to ask why money has to go to Mayo, Donegal, Cavan or Leitrim. It is because local authorities do not have resources to provide the same facilities or they did not get involved in the same way as happened in Dublin.
That is why I asked the Minister of State the question about the role of local authorities.
Senator Mooney is correct. I compliment the local authorities. They were asked for a small contribution to the two schemes I announced last year and all the local authorities responded. One often hears announcements on RTE radio on Sunday morning that such a field in Dublin is flooded or closed. The local authority sends out the message because they have control of the facilities. We would be delighted if local authorities in Leitrim, Mayo and Donegal would do that but that is not the case and communities have had to raise money by selling tickets to keep clubs going. They are doing their best.
We must be honest and fair. There is no point in expectations being set too high. There are politicians in this House and in the other one sending out application forms to people in every community. It is only making fools out of them. We do not have enough resources for everyone. We have €30 million. We do not even have €30 million for communities. We have €26 million, as €4 million is to be allocated to regional schemes. No matter how one divides it, one will not have enough. That is why we must ensure, first, that projects are ready to go, and second, that they are projects that will be used and that no white elephants will remain. This time people are more realistic. They have been looking at ways and means of making the most of scarce facilities. That is why I took stands out of the equation. We do not want stands; we want people to participate. Grant aid is no longer provided for stands, simply on the basis that we want people to take part and get involved in providing facilities and equipment.
A Senator made a point that related to counties Donegal and Mayo as well as Gaeltacht areas. I made a political decision because the previous Government made the wrong decision. If I had not changed the rules and regulations this time, Gaeltacht areas would not have been included. They were removed from the last sports capital programme. A former Minister put them into another section under which no funding was available and they would have been unable to make an application. I made the political decision to include them in this scheme even though doing so was a draw on our finances. It would have been easier to leave matters alone, but preventing Gaeltacht areas from applying for funding would have been wrong. They are as entitled to apply as everywhere else.
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is an enjoyable, worthwhile and engaging debate.
The Senator enjoys every debate.
I support the plea of my colleague, Senator Kelly, for a swimming pool in Ballaghaderreen.
It was not a plea. The situation is being handled.
I can tell the Senator something, it would be well handled were Ballaghaderreen in the Mayo constituency. I hope the situation will be dealt with in the most efficient way.
They are decent people in Mayo.
Through the Chair, I understand that there is €300,000 in the fund.
Some €450,000.
Excellent. The Minister of State heard the Senator. We can draw down that money. The Government must honour its commitment. Was Senator Kelly in favour of re-roofing the pool in Castlerea? Is that his commitment as well?
If we have any money left.
A councillor, Ms Orla Leyden, is promoting a major development in Roscommon town. It is a sports park.
Is she any relation?
I will support the development fervently and, I hope, with a few bob. The Minister of State's task is difficult and I wish him well in it. He should not be shy when it comes to the west.
I welcome the Minister of State. We always enjoy robust, forthright exchanges when he attends. He is making a difference and we appreciate the more than €140,000 that he invested in my local swimming pool in Ballinasloe to upgrade its energy efficiency levels and to improve access for people with disabilities.
The miracle of the loaves and fishes comes to mind when one considers trying to distribute €30 million among the many worthy projects. The Minister of State has an unenviable task. I do not know how he will approach it. Every Senator would like to see more funding pumped into sport. As a consequence, there would be a lesser need for resourcing some health areas, for example, particularly given the link between people leading active, sporting lives and a weaker reliance on health services.
In light of the number of applications that will be received, will the Minister of State give priority to rural communities, especially those that share facilities? I have in mind the Kiltormer GAA club, which has a fine sports complex that needs additional funding for upgrades. It is also used by the wider, rural community.
Is the Minister of State considering allocating funding on a county basis, will he try to spread it across sports or will he allocate it based on individual applications? Given the volume of applications, how will they be processed? Does the Department possess the necessary resources or will it employ additional resources?
I wish the Minister of State well. I was disappointed that Galway did not feature in his league table.
Galway did not do too badly.
I hope a number of projects will be funded, particularly in east County Galway.
The mental health benefits of sport have not been mentioned. They are often understated. What are the Minister of State's opinions in this regard? The issue is aside from the sports capital end of this discussion. I am involved in a group in County Donegal that was set up in January. We go running early every Sunday morning and are trying to bring people with us who may have been involved in a local Solas group, which promotes mental health and well-being. For the past two years, Solas has taken people suffering mental health issues into the outdoors — the green gym — on walks.
On the other side of this issue is the question of general practitioners, GPs, referring people to gyms. This practice should be radically promoted. It is being done to a certain extent and the Minister of State has done some work in this regard. The English model is excellent and we could promote it in Ireland.
I agree with the Minister of State concerning the Gaeltacht funding issue. At least the scheme will now be available to Gaeltacht clubs. To date, the Department responsible for the Gaeltacht had a sports capital programme. The cap on funding was 70%, except in CLÁR areas where the cap was as much as 80% or 85%. No funding is available in the Gaeltacht anymore because no funding is available from the relevant Department. If the Minister of State's Department did not make sports capital funding available, there would be none for Gaeltacht areas. Given the language considerations, will the Minister of State confirm the funding from the sports capital grant will be at the same level that obtained under the other Department, that is, 70% to 85%? If so, the grant will be as advantageous as the scheme that operated when Deputy Ó Cuív was Minister.
What does the future hold for the sports partnerships? There has been some speculation about changes and that the partnerships will be absorbed into local government. What is the Minister of State's opinion in this regard?
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. We are enjoying this robust debate. For several years, my area of Sligo-Leitrim North had fallen behind and we did not get the fair level of funding to which we were entitled. The Minister of State has visited the area and will do so again tomorrow, which is welcome. A number of projects in the constituency are worthy causes and applications will be made in respect of them. I look forward to the drawing down of some grants in my area. I thank the Minister of State for attending and we look forward to drawing the matter to a conclusion.
Regarding the question on CLÁR and disadvantaged areas, the rules and regulations will be the same for everyone. I will not change them. I reduced the local contribution in respect of RAPID areas from 10% to 5% and from 20% to 10% in respect of CLÁR areas. I also reduced the overall contribution from 20% to 15%. I could do no more. There cannot be one scheme that is subject to two sets of rules and regulations. The same rules must apply.
Senator Ó Domhnaill also made the point about health, and mental health in particular. He is correct that sport is important. One gets annoyed when funding is criticised. Through the local authorities, we have invested a great deal of funding in terms of the green gyms to which the Senator referred. People who do not have money can use green spaces and open spaces. The only outlet for some people, such as those who have lost their jobs and are under financial pressure, is sport. For this reason, I have called on the GAA, rugby and soccer bodies and all sporting organisations to try to make their activities family friendly and to consider disadvantaged areas when they are staging events. In this way, it would be easier for people who did not have as much money as they used to previously to view and take part in sports. Everywhere I go, local authorities tell me the green gyms are flying, so to speak, and people are using them. People are more health conscious.
It is important we provide facilities for people with any kind of illness, be it mental or otherwise, and give them opportunities to take part. This was one of the cases I used when asking for funding for the sports capital programme. If we spend money on sport, we will not need as many consultants, doctors and hospitals. We need to make it easy and simple for people to get involved in sport. One has only to consider our successes.
We are reviewing the local sports partnerships. They do not work well in every county. We are examining the counties that are doing well and will discuss the matter with the Irish Sports Council to try to assist those counties that are not doing well. We are reviewing the overall sports strategy and will not be making any decision on local sports strategies for a while. We are reviewing the counties that are doing well and getting the Sports Council to deal with those not doing so well. The local authorities have a part to play in this. It works very well where a local authority is supportive of a local sports partnership. It does not work well when the local authority has a resistance to the partnership. In Mayo recently, I opened a mini-marathon in which 3,500 women took part. The day was beautiful and it was a pleasure to see some running and some walking the course.
Did the Minister of State have a run himself?
I did not put the skirt on. That mini-marathon was organised by the local sports partnership while The Western People sponsored it. It is important to get the media to support these events.
Regarding Senator Ó Domhnaill's point about the Gaeltacht funding, it is important everyone gets an opportunity to apply for sports funding, but we cannot have two different rules. It will take some time for us to deal with this year's applications as there is a small staff in the Department. This time we will not be allocating money by criteria. That happened in the past and is why we have €55 million of project funding not drawn down. The main criterion before was per capita each county had to get so much funding. There is no point in giving funding for a project to Mayo or Leitrim that would have cost €500,000 but then could not go ahead because the group did not have matching funding or title deeds, say, to the land for the project. This time we are looking at shovel-ready projects. Shared facilities projects will get extra points. Employment will be created in developing and constructing facilities which will be important, especially in rural areas, as well as getting revenue back to the State.
Sport, of course, will be the real winner in this. It is important the €30 million allocated for sports capital development is spent wisely and targeted where it is needed most. I know there were previous arrangements in place with the GAA and the FAI. To me everyone should have an opportunity to make an application.
Will the Minister of State do away with the county minimum?
I have not made a final decision on it yet. I will in the next few days. That rule meant counties were getting moneys for projects that were not right. We should be looking at ready-to-go projects. There is enough to ensure there will be sporting facilities in every county and I will do my best to ensure it is spread out as evenly and as fairly as possible.
It is obvious from the numbers attending this debate there is much interest in sport. I love sport and it gives the country a lift. If we get this weather for the whole summer, do well in the European championship, the Olympics and the Paralympics, as well as the rugby, it will lift everyone's soul and mind. We all need a lift and sport is the key for that. We need to support the Irish team in the European championship and our athletes taking part in the Paralympics and Olympics.
I am looking for suggestions for sports participation in next year's The Gathering festival. The Navy-Notre Dame American football game will play here in September and already 40,000 tickets have been sold for it. That means 40,000 visitors to Ireland. There are many sports facilities such as the Aviva Stadium, McHale Park, Thomond Park and Croke Park of which the State can make use. I know the sporting organisations will not be found wanting if there is a sporting event that can be hosted at these facilities.
Will we see American football at McHale Park?
I am working on it.
(Interruptions).
I welcome the allocation of €30 million for sports capital projects. It has been four long years since the money was allocated to sports projects. Many clubs and organisations have been hard-pressed to provide quality facilities and services for their members. Hardly a day goes by that we are not informed of the staggering increase in obesity levels, particularly among young people. Much of this is accounted for by decreasing levels of activity. Our health services have to deal with the complications of this every day, so I am especially pleased to see this new sports capital scheme will have a stronger focus on projects which increase active participation in sport, particularly in disadvantaged areas.
When the last allocation was made four years ago, many clubs and organisations took on to upgrade and improve facilities. Some projects were never completed due to escalating costs and overrun of budgets. Will such clubs and organisations be able now to avail of a grant from this scheme to complete any unfinished works?
Senator Moran is correct that the whole point of sport is to get people involved for their health. Another problem is that there are many other activities in which children can get involved. In Athy yesterday, I noted a local sports partnership programme that targeted disadvantaged areas and children who may have gone off the rails a small bit. Through the programme, the partnership is getting them back into the education system and boosting their confidence, as well as being good for their health. It also sets an example for other children to follow them into sport, which is good for society. Any organisation that has an unfinished project will have its application considered.
Will the Minister of State be able to respond on the Ballaghaderreen swimming pool project? The deadline for an application to the sports capital programme is 2 June. Some organisations and clubs are asking me what is the best way to apply. For example, a GAA club might be trying to finish off a project which has five or six different strands to it. Does the club apply for the whole six strands or just two? Clubs do not know whether they should look for a lot of money and get a little or look for a reasonable allocation and get it. What is the Minister of State's advice on that?
The funding for Ballaghaderreen swimming pool is still in place. It is a matter for the county council to make an application.
Any club can make any application it wants but we must be realistic. That is why I put the bar at €300,000. I want applications that can be achieved. We have projects which, because of the downturn, could not be completed and some not even started. For example, if a club comes up with a proposal for €600,000 for a pitch, floodlights and dressing rooms, it must prioritise which of these three is the most essential. There will be another round of funding allocation in 2015. I am not saying they will get the three allocations. If they say phase one is the first priority, we might give them phase one and phase two but not phase three. It depends on the position of funding. When a fund of €26 million, plus €4 million which is available for non-local projects, is spread out across all 26 counties it is not a huge amount in the overall context. We are asking people to be realistic and to take on only what they manage and bring to a conclusion. I do not want to come back here again on this issue.
In 2008, some €191 million was not drawn down. During the past 18 months we have written to many organisations inquiring about their application. We have not put pressure on them but many have replied, saying they are withdrawing the application because they are no longer in a position to proceed with plans proposed in 2006 and 2007 due to the economic situation. On the previous occasion, the allocation from Government was approximately €57 million each year. As it is four years since the last round of sports capital programme funding, that puts pressure on communities. With €30 million we hope to get value for money on the basis that costs have reduced.
Costs have come down.
I have told the clubs that if they are getting professionals to do the work, not to inflate the application as they are only making fools of themselves. If an inflated application is made to the Department, it will be put in the basket. We want honesty is this round and to spend the money where it can be targeted. I ask clubs to apply only for the facilities they can afford.
It is great to have the Minister of State in the House for the debate. I commend the Government, especially the Minister of State, on the sports capital programme. The social gain for communities and the health gain for young people is huge. There is an obesity timebomb in Ireland and it has gone off. It will be difficult to quantify the value of the moneys invested. I listened to a doctor speaking on this issue recently. The proportion of three years olds who are overweight is frightening. This is something new for Ireland.
There was no obesity.
When we were children, practically nobody was overweight. The benefits to society are huge. I heard what the Minister of State had to say in respect of applications. If there is an application for €300,000, how will the Department apportion the money fairly? Will county level be taken into account? I understand the money will be apportioned on merit, in other words the projects must be good. I am aware of a number of applications that have been submitted. Certain clubs have applied for grants of €60,000. Based on what the Minister of State has said, in the event the club does not get the full amount, can it broken down into, say, three phases?
We must move on. Only one minute is allowed.
I am aware of a soccer club which received an allocation previously but did not finish it off. It will make its case on that basis but will seek the maximum amount.
Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Is this a once-off allocation if clubs are not prepared to make an application this year? I have long experience of making such applications for my local club, as have other Senators. I would like to see, not for political reasons, as many clubs as possible receive a small amount at this stage due to the financial position, particularly those who were not eligible in the past, for example, those that did not own the grounds and may have applied for grants for equipment. I have in mind athletics clubs in particular. As Senator Healy Eames said, obesity is a major problem. In athletic clubs everybody takes part in the games. There are no substitutes.
In response to Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, obesity is a major problem. Since I became Minister of State, one of my priorities has been to get more women involved in sport because they will bring the children and get them used to taking part in sport. At my first meeting with the local sports partnership, I asked it to target persons with disabilities, women and disadvantaged areas. That is being done.
In respect of the applications, allocations will not be made on a per capita basis, but the system will be fair to ensure every organisation receives an allocation. Projects must be examined. While more than €57 million worth of projects were drawn down in 2008, a massive sum of money was not drawn down. Allocations were made to counties on a per capita basis but the money was not drawn down. That created a problem. This time we will assess whether projects can start and reach completion.
The first criteria for funding will be shared facilities, for which there will be a rating. Second, the local contribution, whether 5%, 10%, 15% or more, will aid the project because it is clear the organisation will be able to complete the task. Third, organisations that have not received a grant previously must be given an opportunity. There are clubs with great committees which make an application to enhance its facilities. However, if a club with great facilities and a club with no facilities makes application, the club with no facilities must be supported.
We will seek to assist the disadvantaged areas. The reason I have reduced the local contribution for CLÁR and RAPID areas is to give those areas an opportunity to draw down some of the allocations.
We will do this as fairly as possible, but no matter what is done, one will be criticised. A large number of applications have been received which may be valued at up to €300 million. However, we have only €30 million.
How many applications have been received?
In the first week——
In fairness to the Minister of State, he has given those figures.
The good news is we have €30 million and it is the first sports capital programme since 2008. The next round of the programme will be in 2015, depending on the economic situation and the hope of getting extra funding in the meantime. Every euro spent on sport is money well spent. When the Minister for Finance comes to the House, I hope Senators will make that point. When a choice has to be made between health, education and sport, one is inclined to leave sport aside.
This is education, too.
It is more than education because it gives people confidence.
It is life.
I have no doubt the Minister of State will do his best. As we have gone beyond the ordered conclusion time of 1.45 p.m., we must conclude the debate in accordance with the Order of Business today. I ask the Acting Leader to move the suspension of sitting until 5 p.m.
Before doing so, I thank the Minister of State who, every time he comes to the House, creates a great debate with much enthusiasm and gives much encouragement to Members. We have had a great debate. It was refreshing to note the number of Members who participated. I wish the Minister of State continued success. He has many supporters in the House.
I thank the Senator.
I propose the suspension of the House until 5 p.m.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
Sitting suspended at 1.50 p.m. and resumed at 5 p.m.