League of Ireland investment
Deputy Chris Andrews urged greater investment in League of Ireland football and its academies. The Taoiseach agreed, pointed to major sports capital funding, and said the Minister of State for sport would respond directly.
Last week, I raised the lack of investment in League of Ireland football. I recently attended the League of Ireland academy’s briefing in the audiovisual room. It was clear to all who attended, right across the political divide, that there is a long-term sustainable football industry to be created in this country. It will benefit the economy, it will benefit society in general and, most importantly, it will benefit young Irish footballers. The ongoing European Championships show how international football can provide a great sense of national pride and galvanise the mood in a country. If we want to be able to qualify for and regularly compete at major championships, we need to act now before we fall further behind our European counterparts. Is the Government willing to support the development of our football academies? How will it do that?
Comment on this
Deputy Andrews makes a very fair point. As he has said, investment in football creates a football industry and has a wider benefit for young people. I am very proud of some of the decisions we have made around serious investment in sports facilities. We will have the largest ever sports capital grants, €250 million, in September or October. There is also some large-scale capital funding coming. I am very happy to take from Deputy Andrews the information that was given at that briefing. I can ask the Minister of State with responsibility for sport to come back directly to the Deputy.