'Frozen' Sports Spending Costing Construction Jobs

County council candidate Tom McNamara has said sport infrastructure spending in the Clare region has effectively been frozen, denying the local economy much need construction jobs.

He said the discontinuation of grant aid under the National Lottery-funded Sports Capital Programme will also affect dozens of community projects developing facilities.

Mr McNamara, who was involved in securing state-of-the-art community facilities and playing pitches in the heart of Kilmaley Parish, said that despite the tight budgetary situation, the government should consider some allocation for this year.

He warned the development of County Clare's sports and recreational infrastructure could come to a standstill if the state did not immediately reverse its funding decision.

"The discontinuation of this grant scheme means that the delivery of projects such as the Lees Road Sports and Amenity Park, Ennistymon Recreation & Leisure Centre, Mullagh Sports Field, Lisdoonvarna Fáilte Project and the Tulla Soccer Club complex is unlikely to be repeated in the near future," said Mr McNamara.

"It should be noted that the commencement of work on these projects would potentially create hundreds of much needed jobs in the construction industry."

He urged the government and local Oireachtas representatives to consider the restoration of funds under the Programme.

(PR/JM)