Meath clubs and organisations land €11m in grant funding

Sports clubs across Meath are set to benefit from a whopping €11million in grant funding, as Sports Minister Thomas Byrne announced record funding for sports clubs nationwide.

Minister Byrne has announced over €11 million will be allocated to almost 100 community sports clubs and facilities across Meath this week, the largest allocation in the history of the State.

The Meath funding is part of a nationwide allocation of over €250million, representing a 50 per cent increase in funding when compared to the last round of allocations in 2022.

Minister Byrne confirmed that sporting organisations across Meath will benefit from over €11.4 million under his Department’s Community Sports Facilities Fund.

Meath received €6.7 million in the previous round of grants under that fund in 2022, with 84 sports clubs benefitting and the county was allocated €1.8million for 57 sporting organisations in 2019.

This weeks grants follow on from over €900,000 in equipment only grants that were announced for Meath clubs earlier this year by Minister Byrne.

The Minister said he was delighted to see a diverse range of sports clubs and organisations in Meath benefit from this record-level of sports funding.

"There is a clear passion and interest for sport in Meath and I am delighted to support this passion and interest under the Community Sports Facilities fund. I want to commend our sports clubs and community organisations for their incredible work, particularly our volunteers, who are the backbone of the sporting community. As Sport Minister, I am determined to ensure that the Government plays its part in facilitating sporting participation and excellence across our county and across the country, through strong investment in the facilities and equipment needed.”

Minister Byrne also reiterated his support for the Pairc Tailteann project.

“Separately, I am pleased to confirm that the €8.5 million previously awarded to Meath GAA for the development of Páirc Tailteann under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund remains valid and I look forward to working with the County Board to progress the plans."

Details of the individual sporting organisation to receive funding are expected to be announced later this week.

The last round of funding included €300,000 for the development of a new pitch at Meath GAA's training base in Dunganny, while Meath and District League received a total of €150,000 for work on the floodlighting system and astro pitches.