Today, I’m delighted to see that sports organisations across Laois and Offaly will benefit from almost €284,000 following a number of successful appeals to the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme. This is in addition to the €6 million announced earlier this year. I welcomed the announcement that organisations that were unsuccessful in the 2020 round of funding would have the opportunity to submit an appeal and it is wonderful to see that the hard work and dedication of many of those applicants has been rewarded.
My Green Party colleague and the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, is responsible for the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme. The 2020 round of funding is worth €150 million, and this represents the largest investment in sports capital grants in the history of the State. Funding our sports organisations is necessary to improve facilities and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in sport.
As an amateur athlete and sports enthusiast, I am thrilled to see such investment in Laois and Offaly. I am very aware that behind every successful application there is a massive voluntary effort. I would like to thank all of the sports organisations that submitted appeals to the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme. The projects funded under this latest announcement will support works to install AstroTurf pitches, upgrade lighting and create new walking tracks. I look forward to visiting many of these local clubs in future as the projects progress.
The successful projects are, as follows
Laois
Castletown Community Sports Field Development Fund Floodlight Astro turf multi purpose games area - €42,386.80
Crettyard GAA Club Upgrade existing Main Pitch Lights - €34,575.67
Graiguecullen GAA Graiguecullen GAA redevelopment - €66,569.65
Kilcotton GAA Astro Turf Pitch - €18,640.74
Portlaoise Rugby Football Club Walking - €53,731.16
Portlaoise Soccer Club Synthetic / Artificial Pitch Refurbishment - €22,065.77
Offaly
Birr Golf Club Drainage project and machinery purchase - €45,998.80