The Minister for Tourism and Sport, Dr McDaid, has given his native Donegal the largest share of the National Lottery sports grants of any county outside the major population and growth areas of Dublin, Kildare and Cork.
Dr McDaid's allocations, announced by his Department yesterday, give Co Donegal sports clubs and recreational projects £1.9 million of the £26 million provided under the Sports Capital Programme to almost 600 local community-based projects in the State.
Donegal receives much more than almost all other counties, including Co Galway (£1.165 million), Kilkenny (£365,000), Kerry (£790,000), Limerick (£740,000), Longford (£339,000), Louth (£395,000), Mayo (£736,000), Meath (£939,000), Tipperary (£819,000), Wicklow (£769,000) and Waterford (£733,000). Only Co Dublin (£5.9 million), Co Cork (£2.9 million) and Co Kildare (£1.995 million) receive more than the Minister's county.
A spokesman for the Minister last night defended the allocations, saying: "Up to recently Donegal was a neglected place, and this could be said to be making up for the past neglect". He pointed out that the IDA was trying to attract investment to Co Donegal and that developing "social infrastructure" through grant-aiding such projects was the way to do this.
He also said that while 34 per cent of the funding applications from Co Donegal projects were approved, 52 per cent of those from Co Cork were accepted, 51 per cent from Co Kildare and 51 per cent from Co Clare.
The total spending of £26 million represents a £12 million or 86 per cent increase in funding. Of 1,650 applications received, some 600 were approved. The largest single allocations were £500,000 to the Lees Road/Drumcliffe Sports Project Committee in Co Clare, and the same amount to the Blackrock hurling club in Co Cork.
GAA clubs throughout the State received by far the largest amount of money, getting £9.6 million spread among 206 clubs. Soccer clubs got £4.24 million and rugby clubs got £700,000. Allocations were also made to sailing, golf, karate, tennis and indoor bowls clubs, as well as to community associations, Scout troops and youth and pipe bands.