MEMBERS of a Northside soccer club are furious after being refused funding for the third time in the latest round of grants from the Government’s Sports Capital Programme.
Representatives from St Malachy’s Football Club in Edenmore are angry that they
“jumped through all of the hoops required
? for the grant yet were still refused.
The club, which caters for 210 children aged between five and 18, badly needs a new clubhouse and had pinned all its hopes on Government funding.
However, those hopes were dashed last month when they were turned down yet again and omitted from the list of successful applicants awarded funding under the 2012 Sports Capital Programme.
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport received 2,170 applications seeking e229 million in funding last year.
Johnny Hobbs, secretary of St Malachy’s Football Club, claimed poorer suburbs were snubbed in favour of more affluent areas in the distribution of funding.
“Our club is in a disadvantaged area,
? Mr Hobbs told Northside People.
“We have worked for years with hundreds of kids in the area to keep them off the streets.
“Our club offers a positive outlet for kids from all walks of life, some of whom might be coming from homes where there is domestic and alcohol abuse.
“We have been refused funding despite our best efforts to ensure that we’ve ticked all the boxes that the Department has asked of us.
?
Mr Hobbs added:
“It just seems to be yet another example of how the Government throws money at richer areas instead of trying to help clubs like ours in poorer areas.
?
In a letter seen by Northside People, Dublin City Council wrote to St Malachy’s FC’s solicitor stating the council is currently involved in the acquisition of land for a site for the club at Springdale Road.
“It is expected that title acquisition will be completed in late January 2013,
? the letter read.
“Once title has been acquired the council will then be in a position to deal with the disposal to your client (St Malachy’s).
?
The club duly sent the letter onto the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
However, in a letter sent to St Malachy’s and also seen by Northside People, the Department said the club was denied funding on the grounds that
“no evidence of freehold/leasehold letter
? was issued from the landlord.
The Department claimed the club had not provided a letter confirming that they have a registered title to the property.
“A letter arrived after the closing date, but this only confirmed that Dublin City Council may be prepared to transfer title at some future date,
? the Department added.
The Department informed St Malachy’s that it could submit an application for funding for the next Sports Capital Programme under the terms and conditions applying at that stage.
Daryl Barron, a local Fianna Fail representative, said St Malachy’s Football Club have been once again
“let down
? which will result in children and young adults having to get changed on the side of a football pitch.
“A football club that has served the community well in the past 30 years has never got the help it deserves,
? he claimed.
“I call on local TDs to intervene and protect this club’s kids and young adults from future hardship.
?
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport had nobody available for comment at the time of going to press.