Bohs were the big winners in today’s allocation, with Sligo Rovers also set to receive €16.4m in funding for the redevelopment of the Showgrounds, as the €173m pot towards 35 projects was announced today.
In total, League of Ireland facilities have been awarded €43.75m in LSSIF funding today, following on from the €52.5m allocation from the Community Sport Facility Fund announced last September.
The Government says the new ‘use it or lose it’ clause is to ensure the most effective spending. The money must be drawn down within a specific period or else it will go to projects placed on the reserve list.
Elsewhere, Shamrock Rovers’ home of Tallaght Stadium has been allocated €650,000 to upgrade the ground’s floodlights, while First Division Wexford has received €2m for their plans to move from Ferrycarrig Park and to a new home closer to the town.
With Bohs in partnership with Dublin City Council for the project, Minister Byrne said he is confident the allocation will be sufficient with the total works expected to come in at around €40m for the four-sided 8,000-capacity UEFA Category 3 stadium.
Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne
“I’m absolutely confident the sum will be enough. Any of the projects we have approved here today are deliverable projects. Dalymount was the FAI’s number one choice. Sligo was the FAI’s number two choice,” said Byrne, speaking at Dalymount Park this morning.
“In reality, most of these projects should be done in conjunction with local authorities because they have the experience and knowhow to deal with it. The information they [Bohs and Sligo] provided was sufficient for the department to say, ‘here is a lot of money going to you’.
“Wexford were high up on the list, but they were [seeking] a much smaller amount of money. It wasn’t a mega-project. It is a small project, but the FAI tells me it will be transformational for soccer in that area.”
Welcoming today’s news, FAI CEO David Courell added: “The total award to football this year represents significant progress from all parties as we look to deliver our shared vision of progressing the game at all levels across the country.”
“The commitment from LSSIF brings us closer to a future where our clubs can deliver top-tier facilities. It’s an achievement that should inspire all clubs as we collectively work toward a stronger League of Ireland,” said League of Ireland director Mark Scanlon.
Meanwhile, RTÉ have announced that Shelbourne’s Premier Division title triumph in Derry last Friday was the most-watched live game in the league’s history. The game attracted a peak audience of 402,000 and an average of 206,000 as Damien Duff’s men captured a first top-flight title since 2006.