Minister for Sport backs increased betting levy to fund sport as Dáil debates investment in football

Eyes have been on the Houses of the Oireachtas all week with Ryan Tubridy the star witness at a couple of Oireachtas committee hearings and the future of sports broadcasting – including the controversial GAAGo – up for discussion at another committee.

But football got its chance to be debated in the Dáil chamber on Wednesday for the first time as a standalone debate as the Labour Party used one of their private members motions to debate investment in football.

With former footballers Niall Quinn, Paddy Mulligan, Turlough O’Connor and goalkeeper Barry Murphy watching on from the visitors gallery, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD put forward the motion. It was seeking, amongst a number of points, that:

— the Government to give it's full backing to the FAI report on facility investment with a comprehensive State backed investment programme to develop the domestic football game covering grassroots, the League of Ireland and international teams;

— an increase in the Betting Levy to 3 per cent in Budget 2024, with the proceeds to fund domestic football facilities, and other sports:

— a commitment to shared community playing facilities for all towns with a population greater than 5,000;

— the expansion of football as a transition year subject countrywide, through the development of a football academy structure;

— the League of Ireland clubs to get a portion of broadcast revenues, and a programme for national promotion of the game;

Ó Ríordáin, as someone who runs a football walking tour, was well able to walk the Dáil through the history of football in this country and its importance to society and he spoke about how “the time for photo opportunities is over and it is time for cold hard cash.”

He concluded his speech by saying:

“Football is Ireland. It inspires, it lifts, it binds and it empowers. It needs politics to step up to respect and fund it. Jack Charlton died three years ago this week. In his immortal words, we intend to keep the Minister under pressure because football is Ireland.”

Government response

Deputy Catherine Martin as Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media responded on behalf of the government complementing Ó Ríordáin for his “passionate” speech and said she wouldn’t be opposing the motion.

She did outline the financial support that the FAI have received from the public purse in recent years after their financial difficulties including covid supports.

She said she would “support any measures, such as an increase in the betting levy, which could in turn feed in to increased funding for sport more generally” but said that the levy is a matter for the Minister for Finance.

Sports capital grant programme

Chris Andrews was amongst several Sinn Féin TDs who supported the motion. He called for reform the sports capital grant programme.

He stated that “It is weighted against working-class clubs and benefits more affluent clubs. For example, clubs need large savings to pay for projects upfront before they can draw down grants. As a result, some clubs have to take out loans.

"Other clubs may never be able to draw down grants because they do not have the savings to spend upfront. A large number of football and other sports clubs do not have their own grounds and so cannot apply for the sports capital grant."

He noted that “Ireland is bottom in terms of European investment in sport. If we were in a league, we would have been relegated long ago. Sinn Féin supports an increase in investment in domestic football.” 

Football rivalries

League of Ireland rivalries weren’t too far away with Labour’s Duncan Smith, and a Shamrock Rovers fan,  jokingly asking Fine Gael TD for Sligo-Leitrim Frankie Feighan to “correct the record. There is not only one Rovers; there are the champions, and they play in Tallaght.”

While Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats said he planned to speak about the Icelandic model with “investment in young people and giving them access to culture, sport and other truths as a way of lowering consumption and use. After what happened in Tallaght last night, however, when Shamrock Rovers were beaten by an Icelandic team, I have decided to move away from that completely in order not to cause offence.”

He was one of a number of TDs who praised the FAI’s facility investment report. Gannon said that “As regards facilities, I read the FAI report. It is a good and worthwhile vision for the future” and he spoke about the benefits of his experience being part of Sheriff YC growing up.

Funding failure

PBP-Solidarity TD Richard Boyd Barrett said for him “the problem is that successive Governments have failed to make the necessary investment. The lack of pitches, changing rooms, showers and financial resources has always been a major issue.”

Independent TD Michael Lowry spoke about the importance of funding for all forms of sport and said that “The FAI has a strong case that stands on its merit but it is a mistake for it to criticise the racing fund and seek to divert part of it” and concluded by talking about the importance of investment in the bloodstock industry.

Sports infrastructure investment

Deputy Thomas Byrne as Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media spoke towards the end of the debate noting that “My father played with Drogheda United in the League of Ireland and was subsequently player-manager at the club. I am very proud of that connection and I am a regular visitor to United Park.” 

He spoke in depth about the investment in sport infrastructure and the FAI’s proposal which he called “ambitious” but “I do not blame the association for being ambitious.”

He mentioned the development of the fourth stand in Tallaght Stadium where “you can see on the new stand that development was supported by Project Ireland 2040. That is real investment. Unfortunately, when Shamrock Rovers came to Drogheda on Friday night, they were not able to put that investment into securing a win against Drogheda [the game ended scoreless].”

Unanimous support for motion

At the conclusion of the two hour debate An Ceann Comhairle put the question of the motion to the house which was agreed unanimously. “Is it not great to have unanimity every now and again?” said Seán Ó Fearghaíl.

The final words came from the Minister for State responsible for Sport: “Sport brings us together. We should have a few more debates on sport,” said Thomas Byrne.

🎙️ On this week's #extratimePodcast:

✨ @sligorovers Lukas Browning
✨ @HydFCOfficial Manager @Conornestor17
✨ @FAIWomen Internationals Sinead Farrelly & @marissasheva

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— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) July 12, 2023