Taoiseach to raise sports grant announcement row with Coalition partners

Anger among Fianna Fáil members over the announcement of a new sports funding scheme after claims details were released before they had been formally finalised

Junior sports minister Charlie McConalogue had asked that party members not share details of the new sports capital grant scheme as they were still being finalised. File picture

The Taoiseach has said he will raise concerns with Coalition partners over the process used to announce a new sports capital grant scheme after complaints that details were shared before a formal Government announcement.

Fianna Fáil TDs discussed the issue on Wednesday amid claims that Fine Gael members and Government-supporting Independents had prematurely shared details of the Community Sports Facilities Fund, the successor scheme to the Sports Capital Programme.

Fianna Fáil sources said they were "mystified" by what they viewed as "politicking", while Fine Gael sources insisted details had been shared across the board to all members of the coalition.

Details of the opening dates for the scheme were shared late on Tuesday by a number of Fine Gael TDs, but Fianna Fáil sources said that junior sports minister Charlie McConalogue had asked that his party members not follow suit as details were still being finalised. 

Mr McConalogue briefed Fianna Fáil colleagues on Wednesday.

Privately, some in Fianna Fáil fumed that they believed Fine Gael TDs had been given advance notice, but senior sources in the party said the information had been shared with everyone in the Coalition and that dissemination was a matter for Fianna Fáil. 

Some in Fianna Fáil expressed their displeasure that Mr McConalogue had asked members to wait as they believed that the "horse had bolted".

Speaking in New York on Thursday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was pleased the new scheme had been announced and that he would speak to both Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris and Independent Minister of State Sean Canney about the processes involved in announcing the scheme.

"This Government and the previous government have dramatically increased the funding available to sports clubs all over the country, and that's the main point here," said Mr Martin. 

"And in particular, through our supports, female participation in sport has increased significantly. We're looking at assisting those with disabilities and participation of people with disabilities in sport more effectively through these grants, and both ministers will be jointly announcing the new scheme next week. So that's that's positive news.

"There have been issues and when I get back, obviously we'll be having discussions in the context of the budget and so on, and these are issues that we will discuss as parties in Government. And beyond that, I'm not going to comment any further."

On Thursday, the Department of Culture, Communications, and Sport said that a success to its Oscar system would go live on Monday. 

Clubs and organisations not previously registered with the department can register on the new Spraoi system from that date.

The Community Sports Facilities Fund is "the Government’s primary vehicle for providing support to sports clubs and communities to develop sports infrastructure around the country", the department said.

Details of the new scheme will be announced next week. Any clubs that are not already registered on the Spraoi system may do so from September 28.