Ring denies favouring Westport Utd FC

€777,000 for Mayo sports clubs, but more than half of funding applications were invalid


Neill O’Neill
neilloneill@mayonews.ie

MORE than half of the applications for sports capital funding made in Mayo were invalid, meaning that 57 of the 104 clubs and organisations that applied could not be considered for a portion of the €777,000 that was allocated at the weekend.
A total of 15 clubs in the county received money, in what was the first round of sports capital funding in four years. The total value of the applications received from Mayo was €18.5 million.
Administered by Minister of State at the Department of Tourism and Sport, Westport-native Michael Ring, the old shouts of favouritism were again being heckled at the Deputy over the weekend and yesterday, as Westport United Football Club received €200,000, the largest portion of the Mayo funding, and the joint largest amount outside of Dublin.
However, given that they are in the midst of getting a €3 million development up and running, the largest project currently under way in Mayo by any one sporting organisation, Minister Ring was dismissing all claims of parish pump politics.
“Westport United is a community club, and one of the oldest and most successful sporting clubs at their level in Ireland. They’re Connacht Cup champions, they’re Mayo league champions, they’re Mayo cup champions – they won every single competition that could be won this year, and they are dealing with up to 500 children across all levels, promoting sport and well-being.
“Yet, they have no ground, and never had a ground of their own in their 101-year history. They have never received any capital funding in the past, only a €10,000 grant, but that wasn’t capital funding, and now they are pulling together, with the community, to develop a new home so they can continue into the future the great work they have done and their proud tradition.”
In their application, the club had sought €300,000, the maximum permissible, and received two-thirds of this.
The national media, who have criticised Minister Ring whenever any money is allocated to Mayo, were in full flight again yesterday. When the accusation of giving preferential treatment to his home county was put to him by SeΡn O’Rourke on the flagship lunchtime news progranme on RTE Radio One, Minister Ring asked the presenter if the science behind his theory that a politician shouldn’t allocate funding to their home county, meant that he (O’Rourke) should never interview anybody from Laois (his home county).
“I have to say, I did this as fair as I could do it. Did I give Mayo more than anybody else? No, I did not. Mayo got what it was  entitled to get, not one euro more per capita. And rightly so,” he later commented.
This year, Sports Capital Funding applications were more than seven times oversubscribed with just €26 million available nationally, out of a total of €229 million sought from the 2,170 applicants. Out of these, 615 applicants will receive funding - 15 of them in Mayo. The Westport United grant is the largest in Mayo, with the others spread around the county, while Westport GAA Club also had an application in for funding, but this was deemed invalid by the Department.
According to Minister Ring, officials tried to ensure an equal geographical spread of projects within counties, as well as sharing grants among several sports and to distribute funds equally between urban and rural areas.
The funding was allocated on a per capita basis across all 26 counties, with Mayo ranking eleventh in the county by county table. More funding of €4 million will be available in coming weeks, but at present there are no plans to revive the scheme again until 2015.
Last week, Minister Ring also announced a further €16,000 in funding for 51 sporting organisations in Mayo at the launch of the National Grant Scheme for Sport and Physical Activity for Older People in 2012.
Speaking at the time he said that these grants allow people to decide for themselves how to be more active and will help to improve the physical, mental and social well-being of older people throughout the country.
“Mayo has a long and proud tradition of sporting prowess and this latest funding will ensure that active participation, particularly among the older generation, will continue to thrive and grow,” he said.

Sports Capital Allocations - where the money went
€200,000 for Westport Utd Community Soccer Club
€90,000 to Co Mayo VEC in partnership with Kilmoremoy Ladies
€80,000 for Tourmakeady Community Committee
€80,000 to Davitts  GAA Club
€70,000 to Louisburgh GAA Club
€64,293 to Parke/Keelogues/Crimlin GAA Club
€62,000 to Newport Handball Club
€40,000 to The Neale GAA Club
€30,000 to Ballyhaunis Rugby Club
€14,000 to Knockmore Boxing Club
€13,000 to Ballintubber GAA Club
€10,000 to Islandeady Clay Pigeon Club
€10,000 to Kiltimagh IRD
€10,000 to Ballina Golf Club
€4,000 to Kilmurry Youths Soccer Club

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