Record funding for sports equipment announced
Almost €750,000 has been allocated to Westmeath as part of the €26 million in equipment grants under the latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (‘SCEP’).
Catherine Martin, TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Thomas Byrne, TD, Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, announced the fund this morning.
AC Celtic AFC Equipment, Lawnmower, Pitch Liner and Goalposts, €15,500
Athlone Athletics Club, Equipment Investment Plan for Athlone AC Juvenile, €2,970,
Athlone Basketball Club, Equipment and first aid for training and games, €8,592
Athlone Hockey Club, Hockey equipment, €12,287
Ballinahown FC, Purchase Dugouts and Non personal Training Equipment, €14,158
Ballymore Gaelic Football Club/ Fr Dalton’s, Hurling Club mower, €39,554
Castletown Geoghegan, Camogie Club, Equipment, shed and storage cages, €10,402
Coole Whitehall Community Games, €2,639
Delvin Sports and Leisure, Centre, Grass Mowing Equipment, Multi-sport, €25,660
Drumraney Camogie Club, Equipment and Goalposts, €5,813
Goldsmith Girls Ladies Gaelic Football Club, Sports Equipment, €13,216
Lough Ree Yacht Club, Add to and replace existing safety equipment, €25,165
Midland Triathlon Club, Training and water safety equipment, €3,794
Moate All Whites GAA Club, Gym fitout, dugouts, storage unit and goalposts, €70,000
Moate Ladies LGFA, Sports Equipment and Storage Container, €26,450
Mullingar Canoe Polo Club, Canoe Polo Canoeing / Kayaking, €74,800
Mullingar Gymnastics Club, Keeping teenage girls in gymnastics, €28,103
Mullingar Sailing Club, Safety boat and sail training dinghies, €28,876
Mullingar Sub Aqua Club, Boat and Trailer purchase, €79,275
Mullingar Weightlifting Club, community Development, €41,255
Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar, Sports Equipment, €13,610
St Mary’s Scouts (Athlone), camping gear (box trailer and tents), €15,912
Streamstown Tidy Village, Mower for the Old Rail Amenity Area, Streamstown, Multi-sport, €14,000
Westmeath County Board GAA, Purchase of Robotic Lawnmower, Gaelic Games, €38,424
Westmeath Minotaurs American Football Club, Non-personal Equipment, €10,615
Mullingar Harriers Athletic Club, Phase 2 equipping hub facilities, €110,000
Westmeath Total, €731,070
Deputy Robert Troy said: “It is fantastic to see the time and effort put in every week by club members and volunteers in Westmeath be rewarded with this grant funding. I am pleased to have worked closely with a number of the clubs involved in putting together applications, and subsequently arranging for clubs to meet with Minister Byrne to put forward their case for funding.
“I want to thank the volunteers and club members in our county for the invaluable work they do at the heart of our communities and I look forward to further funding announcements for additional clubs in the coming weeks regarding capital applications.
“The grants reflect the priority Fianna Fáil in government place on encouraging and facilitating sporting participation and excellence across the country.”
Minister Peter Burke also welcomed the grants. “These clubs are at the heart of our communities and any help they receive is a great source of support to local teams and sports people and to boost participation in sport.
“This funding will benefit 26 clubs in Westmeath. Active engagement in sports not only helps keep people healthy, but it also builds confidence, independence and promotes team building.
“We can see from the list of clubs that there is a wide variety of sports available now including GAA, sailing, hockey, athletics, gymnastics and boxing and I commend the clubs who put the grant applications together, which can take time and effort.
“The SCEP is the primary vehicle for government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. It is welcome news that work will now begin on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later in the year.
“It is crucial that we invest in sport for the overall health and wellbeing of our population and that is why this programme is so important as it delivers stronger communities,” Minister Burke concluded.