We have 30 minutes and 26 Deputies are offering. I ask Members please to adhere to the time limits.

There is a very good article in the Irish Mirror today which details the tremendous attraction that Government Ministers have for golf clubs and the extraordinary lengths to which they went to lobby for lottery grants for such clubs. There was a time when golf clubs were excluded from sports grants given that many thought that the clubs' own resources were enough to sustain them. What concerns me is that many clubs in disadvantaged areas did not get lottery grants and have not been treated with the proper priority. If one takes the sport of boxing, for example, boxing at club level has been very neglected in many localities. Boxing clubs could do with significant allocations in terms of facilities and so on. They have far fewer resources than many of the golf clubs that secured allocations as a result of ministerial interventions over the last while. The issue of disadvantage and partnership areas used to attract a very significant premium in terms of the allocation of lottery grants. That seems to have been eroded over time. I ask the Government to address that and to look after those who did not get grants on the last occasion.

The article to which the Deputy referred is extremely misleading.

I am sure all the good stuff is on message.

Every single valid application made under the local element of the 2017 sports capital programme received funding in 2017 in direct proportion to the amount sought and the number of points scored by the particular application, based on the per capita per county system which was in place.

Points scored. By God.

All applications from Dublin that were deemed valid received the full amount sought. In 2018, we have a new programme worth more than €40 million, which has just closed for applications and they are being processed at the moment. Golf clubs were eligible for funding in 2017 and they are eligible again in 2018. There is a provision within the Department under which clubs that charge extortionate fees and in which access is not available are excluded from the programme.

Which clubs are they?

That will also be reflected in the scoring system in respect of the 2018 programme.

What about boxing clubs?

The article referred to representations that were made in respect of golf clubs. Thousands of representations are made in respect of all types of sporting clubs and golf clubs are not the only ones on which representations are made. The article was seriously misleading and very damaging to the reputation of what is a very positive programme for sports participation.

It is damaging to the Government's reputation.

Fianna Fáil members made a few representations themselves.

It would be entirely remiss of-----

The Minister of State's time is up.

What about the former Minister, John O'Donoghue?

John O'Donoghue has been trumped every which way.

It would be entirely remiss of anybody in this House to overlook the significant contribution golf clubs make to grassroots participation in sport among people of all ages.

The Minister of State should resume his seat.

What about boxing clubs?

Fianna Fáil picked a bad one today.

Members are bringing the House into disrepute. We are not here to review newspaper articles.

Yes.

We are here to ask questions about promised legislation. I call Deputy McDonald.