Danny Healy-Rae urges extra funding for rural sports facilities
Danny Healy-Rae called for increased funding for sports clubs and large-scale sporting infrastructure, arguing that rising building costs require additional capital support. He urged the minister and relevant agencies to prioritise rural clubs, stadium redevelopment, swimming pools and training facilities to boost participation.
The deputy said sports capital funds have delivered positive impact over the years and argued that adequate funding must be in place so clubs do not have to rely on constant fundraising that pressures parents and volunteers. He said additional funding should be available where successful capital applications face higher costs due to rising building prices, and described large-scale sporting infrastructure as an investment in future sportsmen and women.
He thanked the minister for recent visits to Kerry and for funding to local projects including Glen Flesk and the centre of excellence in Collins. He asked for attention and redevelopment for the fish channel stadiums in Kirane and called for Fitzgerald stadium to be revamped, noting a proposed plan by Pat Sullivan and his team to renovate and rebuild the venue.
He highlighted the importance of swimming pools, training facilities and large stadiums to ensure people from rural areas have the same chance to pursue sporting dreams as those from Dublin. He emphasised sport’s role for young people, people with disabilities and those with mental health issues, and warned that many young girls tend to drop out during their teenage years.
He asked the minister to look favourably on rural clubs and rowing clubs applying in the next funding round and raised a practical request that Irish Water complete a water main connection needed for a major event site. He also noted a significant event planned in Dunbeg in two years and urged support to ensure smooth operation and to attract visitors and economic activity.
Funding for clubs and capital projects
The deputy said sports capital funds have delivered positive impact over the years and argued that adequate funding must be in place so clubs do not have to rely on constant fundraising that pressures parents and volunteers. He said additional funding should be available where successful capital applications face higher costs due to rising building prices, and described large-scale sporting infrastructure as an investment in future sportsmen and women.
Local projects and stadiums
He thanked the minister for recent visits to Kerry and for funding to local projects including Glen Flesk and the centre of excellence in Collins. He asked for attention and redevelopment for the fish channel stadiums in Kirane and called for Fitzgerald stadium to be revamped, noting a proposed plan by Pat Sullivan and his team to renovate and rebuild the venue.
Facilities, participation and social benefits
He highlighted the importance of swimming pools, training facilities and large stadiums to ensure people from rural areas have the same chance to pursue sporting dreams as those from Dublin. He emphasised sport’s role for young people, people with disabilities and those with mental health issues, and warned that many young girls tend to drop out during their teenage years.
Requests to agencies and events
He asked the minister to look favourably on rural clubs and rowing clubs applying in the next funding round and raised a practical request that Irish Water complete a water main connection needed for a major event site. He also noted a significant event planned in Dunbeg in two years and urged support to ensure smooth operation and to attract visitors and economic activity.
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Transcript
Thank you very much. We all know how important participation in sport is for young and old and how it brings communities together. Adequate funding should be in place for sports clubs and organisations in all our towns and villages that clubs are constantly having to fundraise, which puts parents and fundraisers under financial pressure to support them. The funding provided through the sports capital funds have a very positive and had through the years impact for the areas who benefit from them and provide sports facilities which otherwise the clubs and local areas would have needed to fundraise and maybe never achieved building them at all. Where a club or organisation has been successful and the capital funding applications in recent times and additional funding should be made available if the costs are rising because costs are rising, the building costs. The funding for large-scale sporting infrastructure is an investment in our future sportsmen and women and these larger projects will ensure increased participation and encourage the younger generations to get involved. It is important that the required facilities for all kinds of sports such as large stadiums like the fish channel stadiums in Kirane. Swimming pools and training facilities are funded in all these areas throughout the country to ensure those from rural areas have much of a chance to pursue their sporting dreams as those someone coming from Dublin. Sport is such an important aspect for young people, people with disabilities minister, and mental health issues as it keeps people involved with their teammates and keep them active in their communities. They meet friends and it keeps them going. As much as possible should be done to ensure teenagers and young adults stay involved in sport as many young girls in particular tend to drop out during their teenage years. Minister, I especially want to thank yourself. I suppose you remember me from the last government for being here on this side, give you out about your lot of days and give me out about what wasn't being done, whatever, but it's nothing personal and I thank you very much for coming to Kerry in the summer months during the holidays and visiting the the the the central of excellence in Collins visiting Doreen and we're seeking funding now for the fish channel stadium and we're looking forward in anticipation hoping that you will see after them. It's a massive stadium but it's gone out to date and it needs a lot of um attention and it needs to be redeveloped. I want to thank you for the money that he have given to Kerry including Glen Flesk in recent times including uh to Sist where they're trying to move a mountain to build a football field in in in the heart of the Ivora Peninsula or the Bera Peninsula sorry um the current center of excellence is of uh of massive benefit to the people of of Kerry and to the players from Kerry and we think of the massive uh team that we that performed in Croke Park this summer and we must keep them going and as the Fitzgerald stadium is central to them and it's where the monster final has always been played but it needs to be revamped and Pat Sullivan and his team uh Pat the Tatler we call him uh have a massive massive plan in place for to renovate and and to build this place in the new I'm asking to look favorably upon it uh we welcome all the events that are coming to the year and I also wish to say in two years time there's a big event being uh paid in Dunbeg and I know that other members of the Trump family are looking forward to funding and seeking funding to ensure uh the smooth uh operation of this event I also know that there's still a water main to be connected going down there and it's greatly uh in need of being replaced and I'm asking and I ensure that Irish water has that done in in a timely fashion uh it's very very important we keep need to keep bringing visitors and events to this country to our counties to ensure that the the the vitality and the economical future of our country is safe and I I I'm asking to look favorably on the rural clubs and the rowing clubs especially that have made applications for for for funding in the next round and I'm appealing to look very favorably on those thank you