Fingal grassroots football needs more funding, TDs say

TDs from both government and opposition parties have agreed upon the need to improve Ireland’s football infrastructure.

With Ireland’s hosting duties of Euro 2028 just around the corner, and following on from recent World Cup play-off heartbreak, coastal Dublin TDs have said Ireland must kick on with its football investment.

During a Dáil debate on the issue on Wednesday (April 15) the mood in the Dáil chamber was decidedly different to the mood stemming from the motion of no-confidence.

TDs from both government and opposition benches said that more needs to be done to improve funding for Irish football.

Fianna Fáil TD Tom Brabazon said that investment in football is “really important.”

The Dublin Bay North TD said that across his constituency, there are not enough facilities for his local clubs.

Name-dropping local clubs Kilbarrack United, St. Malachy’s FC, St. Paul’s Artane, Killester Donnycarney, Raheny United, Howth Celtic and Baldoyle United, Brabazon said that more needs to be done to support grassroots football.

 “We have had a sodding wet winter, and the spring has not been much better; ordinary grass pitches are not playable for periods of the year, and training is impossible. The solution to this is all-weather pitches,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we have had an issue with the habitats directive. Where there have been applications for all-weather facilities, there have been hiccups with regard to the brent geese. We are beginning to break through that particular problem, but it will certainly restrict the number of all-weather facilities that will be available to us. Unfortunately, given our weather patterns, there will be a continued demand for all-weather facilities.”

Brabazon said that female participation is “skyrocketing” and said it was “unacceptable” that facilities for women players were not at the same standard as men’s.

“Clubs in the area tell me that female participation is exploding, and it’s fantastic to see this, but I have heard countless stories from clubs that they do not have changing or toilet facilities for their girls’ teams.”

“This is unacceptable in this day and age, and it has to change. I urge that this be prioritised in the upcoming round of sports capital funding and will be made available, particularly in tandem with local authorities.”

Brabazon pointed to St. Anne’s Park, where he noted there are no facilities for female participants.

“Our clubs take young people off the streets where they could otherwise get involved with the wrong things and go down the wrong road,” he said.

The Fianna Fáil TD said, “I thank the volunteers who get up early to set out the cones and hang the nets, who stay late planning training sessions and formations, who wash the kits and fill the water bottles and who give lifts in order that players and supporters can get to games and training; they are the backbone of our clubs.”

“They do Trojan work that often goes unnoticed. This is really an opportunity for all of us in this house to thank them for the work they do. The grassroots are the most important part of any sport. It is not enough to praise our teams and players when they succeed. We have to support them long before they pull on the green jersey and have a senior cap.”

Labour TD and sports spokesperson Robert O’Donoghue joked “as someone who worked in refereeing for 15 years, I was probably called every name under the sun twice, and that was before I got into politics.”

“I saw firsthand during that time the vital role that football plays in our society. It is far more than just a game; it is an anchor to local communities. It is a source of pride and a powerful force that connects people across generations, from young people taking their first steps in academies to older people representing their clubs and towns.”

The Dublin Fingal West TD said, “the sense of identity and pride that football fosters is truly remarkable. It brings people together in a way that very few other activities can.”

O’Donoghue said that Ireland could not afford to rest on its laurels, however.

“If we are to sustain that and grow this impact, we must commit to a greater investment in football from the ground up. Grassroots clubs are the lifeblood of the sport. They need the resources to thrive. In my constituency of Dublin Fingal West, there are clubs such as Rush Athletic FC and Skerries Town FC – both of which I played for, but I can only wear one jersey – Lusk United AFC and Glebe North FC in Balbriggan. These local football clubs are doing incredible work, but they cannot do it alone.”

“They require sustained support and investment to continue serving communities and we must support them in doing this. At the same time, investment must go hand-in-hand with strong governance.”

The Labour TD said that clubs who do not adhere to codes of conduct should have their funding cut, saying that football must be “inclusive, transparent and open to all.”

“Robust safeguarding policies, adult safeguarding policies and welfare policies are essential to ensuring that every person who participates in sport feels safe and respected and state funding to sporting organisations should be cut if they are not adhering to those codes of conduct.”

“Football, as well as all sports, should be a space where everybody belongs. We have seen a concerning level of online abuse which also needs to be stamped out,” he said.

Sinn Féin TD Ann Graves noted that the Dublin schoolboy league is the biggest football league in Europe and “without the volunteers it simply would not function.”

The Dublin Fingal East TD noted that Swords Manor was founded in 1995 and now boasts 600 members, 550 players, 30 teams and 75 volunteers. 

Greaves paid tribute to the other clubs in the area, such as Swords Celtic and River Valley Rangers.

She noted that Swords Celtic have been in existence since the 1960s, and that River Valley Rangers have 300 members with 22 teams in four different leagues. 

Graves paid homage to her local teams to make a point about the work done behind the scenes by volunteers, and how they need support.

“This is just a snapshot of the amazing work done by soccer clubs in Swords, but it is also reflected across the length and breadth of Fingal East. Every club is making our communities better, healthier and safer places for everybody, but they need support.”

She said, “they need additional pitches, including all-weather pitches. Many teams are making long journeys just to get to a playable pitch. They also need access to facilities and funding. The positive experience gained on football teams is priceless, so we need to invest more in our clubs.”