I welcome the recent announcement by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Michael Ring, that an allocation will be made to sports bodies and organisations as part of the 2014 Supplementary Estimate for the Department. The Estimate provides for funding in a number of areas to support our athletes at home and as they travel abroad to compete on the world stage. Some €1 million has been allocated for the purchase of equipment by the national governing bodies of sport. Another €1 million has been provided to fund the preparation programmes of high performance athletes who are preparing for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Some €80,000 has been set aside for the development of a new headquarters for Special Olympics Ireland within the national sports complex. This funding will support elite performance and participation. As part of the stimulus funding that has been announced, some €80,000 will go towards the development of a headquarters for Special Olympics Ireland within the national sports campus complex.

It is important that, as the economy recovers and additional funding may become available, we facilitate the promotion of sport at every level. The social, mental and physical benefits associated with sport mean that we must do all we can to encourage participation at local level. We must do everything in our power to support our athletes as they progress. The measures further demonstrate the Government's continued commitment to sport in Ireland and recognise the important role that sport plays within communities throughout the country.