Ring defends Bray Boxing Gym grant

Junior Sports Minister Michael Ring has defended the sports grants system after a report described "third world conditions" at the gym used by two Irish boxing stars.

Michael Ring said Bray Boxing Gym, which is used by world champion Katie Taylor and

fellow Olympian Adam Nolan, received the maximum grant of €25,000 for refurbishment.

In today's Sunday Independent, Taylor's father Pete said the Taoiseach may have been ashamed at the state of the gym - which lacks a toilet or shower - when he visited it last week.

However, Minister Ring said construction of new facilities at the gym is underway.

In a statement, Deputy Ring said: "The Department also understands that Bray Town Council may be applying for a grant under the current round of the Sports Capital Programme for the construction of a new gym for the boxing club on a site near the existing facility. Any such application would be assessed by the Department in the normal manner."

Mr Ring also defended the capital grant allocation for his home county of Mayo.

In the statement, Deputy Ring said: "Funding allocated to each county depended entirely on the number of valid applications received. A total of 206 applications were received, of which 111 were deemed eligible. Funding was awarded to every one of the eligible projects.

“With regard to funding allocated under the local authority sports and swimming pool schemes, it is important to note that funding per county on a per capita basis was as follows:

1. Sligo - €19.93

2. Leitrim - €17.49

3. Mayo - €10.76

4. Cavan - €9.60

“On a raw cash basis:

1. Dublin - €1.74m

2. Cork - €1.41m"