Sarsfields flood damage
Deputy Burke sought help after flooding damaged Sarsfields Hurling Club and asked about unused council land for sports facilities. The Taoiseach said the Government would work with the club on repairs and engage with the relevant Minister of State.
In August of this year, the Taoiseach was in Sarsfields Hurling Club and saw the facilities it has available. Over the past few days, over €500,000 worth of damage has been done as a result of flooding. At the same time, there is an organisation which has received the lease of over 30 acres from Cork County Council. Those 30 acres have not been used for the past ten years. Will the Government now apply pressure on that organisation to lease that land back to Cork County Council in order that it can be made available for sports organisations in the Glanmire area that are badly in need of facilities?
Those 30 acres have been lying idle for more than ten years. We have a huge young population there. Sarsfield GAA Club has in excess of 1,100 members alone which it now has difficulty catering for.
Comment on this
I thank Deputy Burke for the question and I remember very well my visit to Sarsfields only a few months ago now. I was devastated to hear the amount of damage that has been done to the pitch, the clubhouse and the bar. A lot of damage has been done. We will work with the club to ensure the damage is repaired and the club can operate as normal as soon as possible. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, has already indicated he is willing to engage with the club on that, depending on how much it is costed at and how much the insurance will cover. However, the same principles we applied in Donegal we will apply in Cork and we will get the club back up and running.
On the land itself, my understanding is that it is FAI-controlled or FAI-leased land; I cannot remember the exact details of it. I am not sure if we can apply pressure on a third party in such a way but I will certainly talk to the Deputy about it further, and to Minister of State, Deputy Byrne.