Ian Mallon: No anti-soccer bias for grants, claims government

In a detailed statement to The Pitch, the Department of Sport denied that there was bias in favour of rugby and GAA when it came to funding, stating that “no money is ring-fenced for any particular sport”.

NO BIAS: Minister for Sport, Thomas Byrne. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

THE Department of Sport has hit back at claims that not enough soccer clubs receive state grants, by insisting that “every single (football project) application” which sought funding last year was successful.

It has also revealed that €25m was awarded to those clubs that applied under the Sports Capital & Equipment Programme (SCEP) during the last round of funding – figures released by Roy Barrett show that funding, on a per-year basis since 2000, works out at €5.3m.