Minister rejects 'slush fund' remark

An Independent TD has claimed that sports grants to three organisations in south Kerry last year were worth more than the allocation to eight other counties.

Mr Paudge Connolly (Ind, Cavan-Monaghan) alleged that some grant aid smacked of "political patronage" and that "three concerns in the south Kerry area received more grant aid than allocated to eight counties, namely Cavan, Monaghan, Laois, Sligo, Carlow, Limerick, Longford and Westmeath". He added that Cavan and Monaghan were not getting "their fair share" of the capital grant funding.

However, the Minister for Sport, Mr O'Donoghue, rejected the claim and pointed out that there had been substantial transfers to Mr Connolly's constituency since 1997.

"That is a fact," he said, adding that Deputy Connolly should not focus only on the Sports Department, but should look at the entire spectrum of Government supports.

He pointed out that "it is also the case, and little can be done about this, that in many circumstances the people living in the county where I come from submit many applications for funding under the sports capital programme [and therefore] the proportion of applicants can be higher than the number in other counties".

Mr O'Donoghue also referred to his efforts to acquire a new swimming pool for Monaghan "and there is no question but that the people of Monaghan require a new swimming pool".

He said that funding for that would be from the swimming pool programme and not the sports capital programme.

The Minister, who announced a 2004 sports capital funding of €50.8 million, also rejected claims by Labour's sports spokesman, Mr Brian O'Shea, that the sports funding was operated like a "slush fund".

Mr O'Shea referred to the controversial funding of the Killorglin rowing club, which received funding from the then minister, Dr Jim McDaid.

Mr O'Donoghue said he had sent two letters to the minister. "I did what any deputy would do in the normal course of events, whether on the Government or Opposition benches. I made representations on behalf of my constituents.

"That is what I am elected to do and it is my constitutional function. If I did not make such representations, I would not be here this afternoon talking to the deputy."