Fianna Fáil TD Cormac Devlin has said that the government must continue to back football.
The Dún Laoghaire TD said, “we must continue to back it.”
On Wednesday (April 15) both government and opposition parties in the Dáil agreed on the need to make sure that Ireland continues to build on the momentum afforded to Irish football in the wake of last month’s World Cup play-off heartbreak.
Devlin’s Fianna Fáil colleague, Charlie McConalogue, said that “continued government investment is essential to further increase participation levels in all sports across all sectors of society.”
“In 2018, total funding to sport from my Department was €111 million and the national sports policy committed to doubling that figure by 2027,” the Minister of State said.
Devlin used the Dáil time to pay tribute to the various football clubs in his constituency, saying “football connects communities, generations and parts of the country that sometimes feel forgotten by other sports.”
“I know this first-hand from my own constituency in Dún Laoghaire; we are fortunate to have a network of clubs that are the backbone of community life. Cabinteely FC is a very large club in south County Dublin with over 60 teams and has been part of the community since 1967. Granada FC in Blackrock is one of the largest in the constituency.”
“It has had generations of young people pass through its doors for more than 50 years. Shankill FC, with over 30 teams and three academies, operates in one of the fastest-growing residential areas in the country and is crying out for more resources; I know the Minister of State is aware of that. Dalkey United Football Club, which Paul McGrath played for as well as Pearse Rovers in his earlier days, is working closely with Cuala GAA on plans for a new clubhouse at Hyde Park in Dalkey, a great example of sports working together.”
“I want to mention TEK United and Valeview in Shankill, which has a long history and tradition in the borough as well,” he added.
Devlin said, “all of these clubs face real challenges, though. Sallynoggin Pearse Rovers have been waiting years for a clubhouse and are engaging with the local authority. St. Joseph’s AFC, or Joey’s, in Sallynoggin is seeking a new all-weather pitch. Like every grassroots club in the country, they are all short of pitch space, particularly in Dublin, and these are not isolated problems. The FAI’s own data tells us that only 34% of grassroots clubs have female toilet facilities, and only 10% have access to indoor facilities. At a time when female participation is growing rapidly, that is simply not good enough.”
The Dún Laoghaire TD said the investment case is “overwhelming,” with statistics from Devlin noting that grassroots football delivers an estimated social return on investment of €1.8 billion, almost €18 returned for every single euro invested.
Further statistics from Devlin note that the League of Ireland contributes €165 million to the economy, while Aviva Stadium alone generates €832 million annually in the economy.
He said that the government has made a “strong start” in terms of delivering funding for football, but acknowledged that more needs to be done.
“The €3 million multi-annual funding in the budget is welcome, and the €10.8 million in extra current funding for Sport Ireland is significant, but the FAI has been clear that €8 million or more is needed to close the gap with other nations. The football facilities investment vision identifies a requirement of €860 million over 15 years to bring our infrastructure up to standard.”
Devlin noted that only one of 20 League of Ireland stadiums meets UEFA category 4 standards, which means that in the event that an Irish club qualifies for a major European tournament such as the Europa League or the Champions League, clubs cannot host European competition games in their own communities.
“With Euro 2028 on the horizon, an event projected to generate an estimated €450 million in socio-economic benefits, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in legacy infrastructure that will serve communities long after the final whistle,” he said.
“I urge that the upcoming round of the community sports fund and the large-scale sports infrastructure fund be prioritised and expedited. Football is Ireland’s most played sport alongside GAA, with 245,000 registered players and 80,000 volunteers, whom we thank. Let us make sure we continue to back it.”