Sports Funding
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-24
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Mark Duffy (FG), Labour Panel

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I am aware that he is here on behalf of the Minister for justice today, but the reply is disappointing, specifically because there is nothing comparable in terms of funding for sporting organisations, clubs or community groups at present. It is not as if the Irish State can match the programme or put something else in its place.
We had the begging bowl out and had the programme as an incentive for people to invest and engage in Ireland when we were under economic and financial pressure. The minute there was any improvement in that, the programme was wound up. The point I have made is that there are ways and means of doing this in a way that is constructive, protects our values and means no exploitation of loopholes or bad-faith actors. A blanket decision to keep the programme closed is not wise, considering the impact it has made. The projects are transformative, once-in-a-generation projects for clubs and organisations across the country, with programme funding provided at a scale that the State is not willing even to entertain.
I ask the Minister of State, using whatever influence he may have, to relay my point to the Minister for justice and the Government more broadly. This would be much appreciated. All of us, including the Minister of State, can see the direct impact of investment under the programme in clubs and communities across Ireland.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-24/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:06+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-24