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Buncrana Youth Club disappointed
04.02.09
THE Chairman of
Buncrana Youth Club, PJ Hallinan has expressed his
disappointment with the decision of Martin Cullen
T.D. Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism to cut all
capital sports grants for 2009.
Describing the Minister’s decision as not the news
Buncrana Youth Club wanted to hear, he said their
plans to fully complete the new Multi Sports Hall at
Castle Avenue may have to be put on ice.
“Phase 3 of the development is due to be completed
within the next few months. It was anticipated the
2009 Sports Capital funding would ensure that the
necessary equipment to complete the activity needs
would be procured.”
Mr. Hallinan said however that despite the lack of
Sports Capital funding in 2009 the project will go
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“The club will move on
with our project but our hopes of branching out to
include a wider range of activities may have to be
modified.
The Buncrana Youth Club Chairman said that Sports
Capital has provided significant funding to the
sports needs of the County over the past ten years
and said that Buncrana Youth Club has done well
under the fund, but he also suggested that the
decline in the economy is going to put serious
strain on organisations to provide 30 per cent of
community contributions to draw down the allocations
already made.
He also said he feared that the decision |
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could become a
long-term strategy and as a result facilities across
the country would fall behind other countries again.
“If it was for one year I think that most people
could live with that, but that certainly hasn’t been
made clear and instead it’s like putting a fish back
into the sea, it could end up anywhere. Where will
this money go now, it will just go into the system
and could end up bailing out the bankers?”
Mr. Hallinan has however insisted that the
government must not shy away from investment in
activities for young people, sports, disability
groups and the elderly.
“The Minister has a real opportunity to address the
employment situation by providing an allocation of
at least €10 million to put in place the personnel
to run and provide quality activities for these
groups,” he said.
Indeed the local Youth and Community worker said he
will be making a representation to the Minister with
a series of proposals for his consideration in the
whole area of Sport and Leisure activity provision.
“There is significant and meaningful employment in
this sector, especially with so many people out of
work, with time on their hand and little to do.
Investment in the provision of activity coordinators
and facilitators would be a beneficial investment
for the community generally,” he said. |
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