If City Hall is serious about supporting sporting organisations in Galway, it will start creating plans with such groups to access new funds that will become available next year.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil Galway City West candidate David Burke who is calling on the Galway City Council to “pro-actively meet with sporting organisations across the city”.
Mr Burke believes it is vital that City Hall put plans in place to develop council lands and facilities under the upcoming National Sports Capital Grant programme in 2014, instead of the current practice of “short-term leases” on account of concerns over ownership rights.
“Many council pitches and facilities across Galway remain underdeveloped,” he said. “We need to come together to try and access any funding which is available nationally.”
He said the council working with voluntary clubs and committees could help such sporting associations “make better submissions which would receive a better scoring review from the Department of Sport”, and thereby be in a much better position to secure funding.
Mr Burke, who is the chair of the Salthill-Knocknacarra GAA Club, is also calling on Galway West Government TDs to “work harder at making sure Galway is not left behind”.
He said there is a “complete imbalance” in how funding is allocated nationally and locally with €200,000 being allocated to one soccer club in Mayo and nothing for the entire western side of Galway city.
“With €30 million available nationally,” said Mr Burke, “Galway needs to be getting a far better deal from our local politicians
