Minister pledges to retain Glanmire €2m in Cork football

Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne confirms he’s awaiting a proposal from the FAI on an alternative project.

Artist's impressions of FAI Centre of Excellence Glanmire, a project that won't be completed. 

A hefty €2m grant in abeyance since the abandonment of the Glanmire Centre of Excellence will remain in Cork football.

That vow was pledged by Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne, confirming he’s awaiting a proposal from the FAI on an alternative project.

As revealed by the Irish Examiner last year, the FAI shelved the planned €12m centre in Glanmire.

It was to act as a hub for the game in Munster, with Cork City as anchor tenant.

The project, according to the new FAI board, “no longer represented the greatest return on investment for the parties involved".

Football benefitted to the tune of €53m from Monday's Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) but it should be noted that neither project awarded seven-figure sums in the last round have proceeded.

Glanmire, granted €2,025,699 in 2019, was reconsidered after the FAI financial crisis, while efforts by Finn Harps to fundraise their portion of €1.5m to match the €5.8m of grants for a new stadium are ongoing.

It’s understood various other options have been explored in the Cork area, from the expansion of Turner’s Cross to collaborating with University College Cork for sports campus space.

Byrne introduced a “use it or lose it” clause in this latest set of stadia grants to discourage delays but insisted the Glanmire money is protected.

“I’ve asked the FAI to work on that one, to make sure we can use the money for football in Munster and in Cork,” said the Minister, standing in the upcoming election, likely November 29.

“There are proposals, I believe, coming to the Department, relating to the Glanmire project.

“That money is there, not subject to the use it or lose it policy, and I’m very much telling the FAI that.

“In fairness they have responded and are coming to us. We want to see that money invested into football in Cork because that’s where it went.”