Local Authorities across Ireland have secured €6.7 million for projects that will directly support football clubs in community/council-owned sites and facilities, a win celebrated by the clubs and the FAI.

They have also been major winners in relation to multi-sports and other sports facilities under their ownership, underlining the importance of publicly owned land, especially in urban areas, being used for the benefit of sport and physical activity.

This funding through the Community Sports Facility Fund will now add to the estimated €45.8 million recently awarded directly to football clubs nationwide, bringing the total recent investment in football facilities to an estimated €52.5 million.

Below are some key projects that will benefit from this funding:

  • Cavan County Council: Cavan Astro Park – €346,000
  • Cork City Council: Sam Allen Sports Complex – €90,000
  • Dublin City Council: Brickfield Park 7-a-Side All-Weather Pitch – €100,000
  • Dublin City Council: Kildonan Park All-Weather Pitch – €496,000
  • Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council: Kilbogget Floodlights – €113,367
  • Fingal County Council: Rush Athletic Artificial Pitch – €124,412
  • Galway City Council: Castle Park Synthetic Pitch – €500,000
  • Monaghan County Council: Belgium Park – €111,453
  • South Dublin County Council: St Cuthberts Park MUGA – €177,522

“We commend and thank the local authorities for their successful applications,” said FAI CEO David Courell.

“This will bring lasting benefits to our football clubs and their respective communities. This funding is further proof that our Facilities Vision and Investment Strategy, to which local authority support is a significant funding vehicle, is beginning to deliver material benefits, providing clubs with the resources they need to thrive and creating a lasting legacy for football in Ireland.

“We are especially grateful to Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, for his continued support in promoting community sports facilities. A special thank you goes to the local authority staff who worked tirelessly on these applications, delivering much-needed improvements to football facilities across Ireland.”

“We would again like to thank Minister Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education, and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne TD, for this record allocation of funding to sport, of which football has now benefitted from an estimated €52.5 million.”

“This support is crucial in driving the development of football facilities nationwide, ensuring communities have access to top-class infrastructure. We’re very excited to the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Funding (LSSIF) announcement shortly.”

“These successful applications are a testament to the dedication of Local Authorities in improving public football facilities,” added Walter Holleran, FAI Head of Grant Funding and Infrastructure Development.

“This funding will help us create inclusive, modern spaces where football can thrive at all levels. We are building a strong foundation for the future of Irish football, and these projects are essential to ensuring that every community can benefit from better infrastructure and more opportunities to engage in the sport.”

“We believe our football clubs play a crucial part in their locality as a community hub, and investment in this area is important for growing the game and benefiting the surrounding area.”

 

 

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