Rovers get €2.75m stadium boost

Shamrock Rovers are to finally get a home after the Government today pledged €2.75m towards its Tallaght stadium.

And Thomand Park is getting €3m towards the redevelopment of its stadium, under the latest round of state sports grants.

Some €50m is to be pumped into 600 sports projects around the country, including the major cash boost for Tallaght Soccer Stadium.

The stadium, owned by South Dublin County Council, has been beleaguered by financial problems and legal disputes since work first began on it in 2000.

Shamrock Rovers are expected to make it their new home by next year, once development is completed.

The funding from the Sports Capital Programme was announced by the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen.

Rathmines Sport and Leisure Centre in Dublin and Roscrea Leisure Centre in Tipperary each received €1m in the latest round.

Dublin received the biggest allocation of any county with €13.8m, followed by Co Limerick in second place with €4,663,000 and Co Cork in third place with €4,485,000.

Some 682 sports clubs and organisations will receive grants under the programme aimed at the provision of sports facilities and equipment around the country.

“Today’s allocations build upon the excellent work of previous rounds of the Programme and continue to support dedicated community spirit and reward local volunteerism,” said Minister Cullen at today’s announcement.

“Every pitch that is laid, every changing room that is built and every piece of sport equipment bought, will allow more people to take part in a huge range of sports and help them to achieve their full potential in their chosen sport.”

The programme is part-funded by the National Lottery and administered by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Over €725m has been invested in almost 7,400 separate sporting projects through the programme since 1998.

“This investment has transformed the Irish sporting landscape with improved facilities in virtually every village, town and city,” added the minister.