Stanton calls for new Land Acquisition Fund to support growing community organisations

Support is needed to secure land for new sports facilities across Cork, a Fine Gael general election candidate has said.

Mark Stanton, who is contesting the general election in the Cork East Constituency, said the latest round of Sports Capital Programme is a much-needed boost for many sports clubs and organisations but obstacles remain.

Mr. Stanton has identified one constraint for growing communities as access to land to develop facilities and has highlighted the need for Government intervention.

“The Sports Capital Grant is of enormous benefit for sports clubs and community groups, allowing them to upgrade equipment and improve existing facilities. It is a fantastic initiative that continues to have a huge impact both locally and nationally.

“However, as many towns and villages in Cork East experience rapid growth, their local sports and community organisations face the challenge of identifying and securing available land for further expansion.

“For many clubs, the rising costs of land means that securing new sites through local fundraising alone is incredibly challenging and support is needed from Government to ensure that every area has access to top-quality sports and recreational amenities.

“Taking Midleton as an example, it is a rapidly growing town where there has long been demand for the development of a public swimming pool and a running track. Local children have travelled to the neighbouring towns of Cobh, Youghal and Fermoy for years with their families and their schools to undertake swimming lessons.

“Interest in the development of a running track in East Cork is also particularly high with a recent fundraiser proving very successful, and there are similar needs right across Cork East as the population increases. The challenge remains acquiring land for these facilities.”

With such difficulty in obtaining suitable sites for development, Mark Stanton has proposed the introduction of a Sports and Community Land Acquisition Grant.

Stanton said: “The introduction of a Sports and Community Land Acquisition Grant would be a new government initiative designed to help sports clubs and community groups to purchase land to expand and build new sports and recreational facilities such as playing pitches, parks, swimming pools, running tracks, and community centres.

“As we continue to build more homes and welcome new families into our communities, we need to ensure that the recreational infrastructure is in place to support them. Sports clubs and community groups are at the heart of our towns and villages, and we must help them to further develop as the population grows.

“A land acquisition grant would allow these organisations to plan for the future, create more opportunities for participation, and build the kind of facilities that will benefit generations to come.”

Mark Stanton concluded by highlighting the importance of the Sports Capital Grant while calling on the government to take the next step and ensure that growing communities across Ireland have the resources they need to thrive.