Sport reaps record £39m

The Minister for Tourism, Sports and Recreation Dr Jim McDaid described 1999 as a "remarkable year in implementation of sport policy," in an end of year of year glossary of achievement. He pointed out that the government provided an all time high of £39 million in sporting and recreational initiatives.

The main features in the development of implementation of sport policy in 1999 included the enactment of the Irish Sports Council Act ('99) which provided for the establishment of the Irish Sports Council on July 1st, 1999.

The year also marked the introduction of the first anti-doping in sport programme, making Ireland one of only 30 countries who can boast the only specific anti-doping in sport regulations. The first test under the programme was carried out on Sunday, November 21st. It marks an increasing awareness and co-operation in world sport which has prompted the establishment of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Over £1 million in grants were handed out to 207 athletes representing 25 different sports. A further £1 million was allocated to the Irish Sports Council to assist in the preparation of Ireland teams for the 2000 Olympics and Paralympic Games in Sydney.

The government approved the application of the University of Limerick to build a 50 metre swimming pool, providing funding of £5.95 million towards building costs and an annual subvention of £190,000.

More than £800,000 was released to support initiatives in disadvantaged areas under the auspices of the GAA (Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Galway and Limerick), the IRFU (Tallaght) and the FAI (Athlone, Donegal, Sligo, Monaghan, Tralee, Dublin, Limerick).

A new Sport Capital Programme was launched in January 1999 that allocated £14.44 million to 400 community and voluntary groups towards the provision of local sport and recreational facilities and £3.45 million to seven national and regional facilities to improve sporting infrastructure.

The latter was broken down into some of the following categories.

£1.3 million towards the refurbishment of the National Boxing Stadium, Dublin.

£500,000 for the development of the regional sports centre at the NUI, Galway.

£500,000 towards the building of an international standard regatta course at Inniscarra, Cork.

£300,000 for the improvement of the athletic track at the Cork Institute of Technology.

£400,000 and £300,000 towards the development of Dalymount Park and Tolka Park respectively.

The GAA also reaped the benefits of government largesse including £350,000 for the redevelopment of Pearse Stadium, Galway and £300,000 towards a similar enterprise at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise. McHale Park (Castlebar), Austin Stack Park (Tralee), Breffni Park (Cavan), St Conleth's Park (Newbridge) and Hyde Park (Roscommon) received financial assistance.

Similarly the soccer facilities, Finn Park (Donegal), the Showgrounds (Sligo) and Buckley Park (Kilkenny) were afforded a monetary boost.