€75m in sports grants not spent, claims Fine Gael

FINE GAEL claimed last night €75 million in sports capital grants awarded under the National Lottery from 2002-2005 was unspent.

Figures obtained by Fine Gael senator Fergal Browne showed a quarter of all funds for capital projects allotted by Minister for Arts, Sports, and Tourism John O’Donoghue had yet to be drawn down.

However, a spokesperson for the department rejected the Carlow senator’s conclusions that this was due to “bureaucratic blockages”.