Sports Facilities
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-07
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Darren O'Rourke (SF), Meath East

I could name any number of soccer clubs, including Stamullen FC, Killegland AFC and Kells Celtic FC, and boxing clubs which are in precarious situations. For example, they may be renting a corner of a gym. Many important sporting clubs and organisations have been without a permanent home for a long time and a solution needs to be provided. I have heard the Minister of State mention this developer-led approach where there can be negotiations and conditions on planning applications. I have also heard and have experience of working with educational facilities. It is very slow. An Teachta Seán Crowe was here before to address a specific roadblock. I have experience of people going for a sports capital grant on school facilities who did not get the okay and had to pull out of it. It is not a permanent solution but where it works, it works. In an awful lot of cases, it does not work. We need the State to step in and say it will build communities and support people doing it.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-07/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:46+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-07