FAI welcomes €15m in capital grants

THE FAI yesterday welcomed a €15 million government investment in football in Ireland.

The Sports Capital Grants, announced by Sports Minister John O’Donoghue, provide for a €12m investment for 2005, as well as the allocation of €3m held over from 2003.

While the bulk of the money goes to non-league clubs, 16 Eircom League clubs are set to benefit from a total investment of €5.275m, as they seek to improve the standard of grounds in line with the requirements of the UEFA Club Licensing scheme.

Following a submission by the FAI, the minister had approved the setting aside of e3m from the Sports Capital Programme in 2003.

However, apart from amounts relating to works carried out by clubs competing in European competition in 2004, no agreement had been reached on the distribution of this money. The association and the Government increasingly found themselves at loggerheads with regard to the money.

But following the 2005 Club Licensing process, a strategy for the allocation of the outstanding €3m has been agreed, in addition to the release of €2.275m under the 2005 programme. The deal also means that a 2002 allocation of €2m (to St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk) can also now be drawn down.

Among the biggest beneficiaries are Athlone Town (€1.2m), Cork City (€902,000) and Waterford United (€500,000).

In contrast to last year, when relations between the FAI and the Government reached an all-time low, both sides were yesterday singing from the same hymn sheet.

Mr O’Donoghue said: “Today’s announcement recognises the significant changes that have taken place within the FAI in recent times and the dedicated efforts by its leadership to implement all the facets of club licensing across the Eircom League.”

FAI chief executive John Delaney welcomed the announcement, saying: “The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, through these allocations, has given Irish football a genuine injection of capital which I’m confident will be put to very good use.”

And, on behalf of the Eircom League, chairman Paddy McCaul said: “The funds now available will enable clubs to continue their development programmes with a greater degree of certainty.”

The individual grant allocations for Eircom League clubs are as follows:

Athlone Town: €600,000 (2003) and €650,000 (2005); Bohemians: €14,000 (2003); Bray Wanderers: €375,000 (2005); Cobh Ramblers: €150,000 (2003); Munster FA for Cork City €52,000 (2003) and €850,000 (2005); Drogheda United: €30,000 (2003); Galway and District League for Galway United: €500,000 (2003); Newbridge Town FC for Kildare County: €200,000 (2003); Kilkenny City: €100,000 (2003): Limerick FC: €300,000 (2003); Monaghan United: €200,000 (2003); Shelbourne €104,000 (2003); Sligo Rovers €400,000 (2005); UCD: €40,000 (2003); Waterford City Council for Waterford United: €500,000 (2003); Longford Town €204,000 (2003).