We need to properly develop our sporting infrastructure

MarinersBlues

The whole country should be working off municipal stadiums.

25k and 50k stadiums hardly a mile from each other in Limerick.
Three different sports venues in Cork and Galway, the largest of which (45k Parc Ui Chaoimh in Cork and 26k Pearse Stadium Galway) are totally under utilised 11.5 months of the year.

The GAA have a HUGE stadium infrastructure that they have built with lots of support from the state along with their own investment.
It is a massive waste of resources on their part. If they allowed other sporting organisations to contribute to the construction, development, and maintenance of these grounds they would be in far better condition for their patrons.

The fact that we have FORTY stadiums with a capacity of 10,000 or greater with a population of 4.5 million is mental.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stadiums_in_Ireland_by_capacity
Around 35 of those stadiums do not allow anything but GAA to be played there and are completely under utilised. It is a complete waste of investment and resources from both the GAA and the State.

We need to get the Government to force the sporting organisations to work together for the betterment of our society. Pool resources to have one large and one small stadium in each population centre that are run and maintained properly and are available for ALL sporting occasions depending on demand.

MarinersBlues

Ah crap the title got cut off.

Should read "We need to properly develop our sporting infrastructure"

Thanks!

buried

Pearse Stadium in Galway is a total disaster. On the very western edge of Galway city, so you have to go through the entire centre and its small medieval streets to get to it. And then its a absolute nightmare to get back out of it. Unless you want to get out the other side which means swimming in the Atlantic ocean. Somebody was really taking and probably having a p!ss when that place was chosen for development.

The_Valeyard

buried wrote: »

Pearse Stadium in Galway is a total disaster. On the very western edge of Galway city, so you have to go through the entire centre and its small medieval streets to get to it. And then its a absolute nightmare to get back out of it. Unless you want to get out the other side which means swimming in the Atlantic ocean. Somebody was really taking and probably having a p!ss when that place was chosen for development.

Always cold
Always windy
Always raining

MarinersBlues

buried wrote: »

Pearse Stadium in Galway is a total disaster. On the very western edge of Galway city, so you have to go through the entire centre and its small medieval streets to get to it. And then its a absolute nightmare to get back out of it. Unless you want to get out the other side which means swimming in the Atlantic ocean. Somebody was really taking and probably having a p!ss when that place was chosen for development.

If they sold it and pooled their resources with the other sports bodies in Galway they could develop a two decent, (20k and 5-10k) stadiums, fit for purpose in better locations and have some cash to invest in facilities for clubs or inter-county teams.

_Kaiser_

I'd much rather we develop our public transport infrastructure to be honest - especially in Dublin.

Would benefit far more and encourage further investment.

Peregrine

MarinersBlues wrote: »

The whole country should be working off municipal stadiums.

Municipal stadiums often end up poorly maintained. Pitches and seats are more likely to be maintained properly if the team/organisation owns the stadium as opposed to the city/county council. Although, in the case of a lot of GAA stadiums, that's not always the case.

MarinersBlues wrote: »

25k and 50k stadiums hardly a mile from each other in Limerick.

50k is too big to Munster (and its clubs), 26k is too small for GAA. Gaelic Grounds is a **** hole compared to Thomond Park. IRFU/Munster paid a pretty penny to develop Thomond Park and Munster are very happy with it. They're not going anywhere. Munster beat the crap out the pitch throughout the season too. If Munster and GAA were to use the same stadium, the pitch would be used all year. Plus rugby and soccer have different pitch dimensions to GAA.

MarinersBlues wrote: »

Three different sports venues in Cork and Galway, the largest of which (45k Parc Ui Chaoimh in Cork and 26k Pearse Stadium Galway) are totally under utilised 11.5 months of the year.

There's at least four notable stadiums in Cork. PUC, PUR, Musgrave Park and Turner's Cross. I don't know how much use PUR would get once PUC is finished. PUC and PUR are entirely unsuitable for Munster and Cork City FC.

There may be merit in a joint Munster/Cork City stadium in Cork. But you'd have to look at the amount of use the pitch would get and the requirements of both parties. Munster are satisfied with terracing whereas Turners Cross is all-seated.

In Galway, Pearse is a nightmare and would be way too big for Connacht. The Sportsground is awful too and they'd move if there was a suitable alternative. There has been talk about a municipal stadium in Galway and it's probably the only one I'd support but the setup needs to be managed very closely.

Looking at raw numbers just isn't enough.

And we need to consider more investment in sports and pastimes that we should excel at, where we have the amenities but suspect the organisations get pittance. I wonder how much Government money has gone into classic outdoor activities like mountain and trail running, mountain biking, rock climbing, orienteering etc. You go abroad and try these events and the gulf in class, and facilities such as access to such activities, is a different level.

ArmaniJeanss

I agree with the sentiment, and its noticeable travelling through small towns in say France that facilities are generally shared between the various local sports.

But even if the politics and the history elements could be sorted out (unlikely), there's still a problem in that soccer can't really share with GAA because of the field sizes - a soccer pitch is effectively lost within a GAA pitch and it would just kill the atmosphere to play at such a ground. Would be like having a couple of running tracks and a greyhound course between the fans and the pitch, a total turnoff for fans.
It worked (sort of) at Croke Pk purely because its built high and there was 70K in attendance at each game.

Yamanoto

MarinersBlues wrote: »

If they allowed other sporting organisations to contribute to the construction, development, and maintenance of these grounds they would be in far better condition for their patrons.

Is this not happening already, to bring stadia up to the technical standard required for Ireland's 2023 Rugby World Cup bid?

MarinersBlues

Peregrine wrote: »

Municipal stadiums often end up poorly maintained. Pitches and seats are more likely to be maintained properly if the team/organisation owns the stadium as opposed to the city/county council. Although, in the case of a lot of GAA stadiums, that's not always the case.

I would propose any stadiums would have their own management team who get funding from the sporting organisations according to how much they use the stadium and public funding. They could also schedule events for the wider community as a method of generating income. All of this money would be used for maintenance and development

Peregrine wrote: »

50k is too big to Munster (and its clubs), 26k is too small for GAA. Gaelic Grounds is a **** hole compared to Thomond Park. IRFU/Munster paid a pretty penny to develop Thomond Park and Munster are very happy with it. They're not going anywhere. Munster beat the crap out the pitch throughout the season too. If Munster and GAA were to use the same stadium, the pitch would be used all year. Plus rugby and soccer have different pitch dimensions to GAA.

There are days when Munster could fill alot of the 50k. Like a European q final maybe even today if they priced the tickets accordingly. They would have that option if the two stadiums were available. Apart from Munster final day the GAA have no need for 50k. They could use a smaller stadium for league and U21 games.

If a stadium was getting enough use and money through the gate is resodding prohibitively expensive?

Peregrine wrote: »

There's at least four notable stadiums in Cork. PUC, PUR, Musgrave Park and Turner's Cross. I don't know how much use PUR would get once PUC is finished. PUC and PUR are entirely unsuitable for Munster and Cork City FC.

There may be merit in a joint Munster/Cork City stadium in Cork. But you'd have to look at the amount of use the pitch would get and the requirements of both parties. Munster are satisfied with terracing whereas Turners Cross is all-seated.

I don't think I have the answer for every particular town, and I don't know Cork particularly well. The point I'm making is that the stadia distribution is not optimum under the current system. There should be more joined up thinking on a national basis.

Peregrine wrote: »

In Galway, Pearse is a nightmare and would be way too big for Connacht. The Sportsground is awful too and they'd move if there was a suitable alternative. There has been talk about a municipal stadium in Galway and it's probably the only one I'd support but the setup needs to be managed very closely.

Looking at raw numbers just isn't enough.

I'm from Galway so I have an opinion here.
If the sportsground was developed fully you could fit a 20k stadium on that site, along with a much needed multi-story carpark. If you had a proper engineer/architect I'm sure there could be a way to have retractable terraces to address pitch sizes.
Eamonn Deacy park is a fine example of a well run tidy low capcity stadium.
Tuam Stadium is the very definition of a ****-hole that is unnecessary in the bigger picture.
Pearse Stadium is just wrong on sooo many levels.Location, facilites and lack of use. It gets filled maybe once every two years, when the footballers play Mayo.

MarinersBlues

Yamanoto wrote: »

Is this not happening already, to bring stadia up to the technical standard required for Ireland's 2023 Rugby World Cup bid?

It may happen in some stadiums on a one off basis but my main point is allowing all teams access to decent facilites that will cater for the sporting public.

For example Dundalk having to play their Euorpean games in the Aviva last year which was too big for them. If there was a municipal stadium in Louth or Monaghan/Meath/Cavan they could have had a more suitable venue closer to home. While in the rest of the country there are more than 20 stadia with a capacity of 20K plus that basically lie idle for the whole year bar one inter-county game and the county final.

MarinersBlues

MarinersBlues wrote: »

There are days when Munster could fill alot of the 50k. Like a European q final maybe even today if they priced the tickets accordingly. They would have that option if the two stadiums were available. Apart from Munster final day the GAA have no need for 50k. They could use a smaller stadium for league and U21 games.

There are also days when you couldn't give away Munster rugby tickets, and suspect there are a few days in the Munster GAA calendar that would see tens of thousands turn up, a lot of hurling fixtures involving Cork, Tipp, Waterford and to a lesser extent Limerick and Clare.

Guy:Incognito

The less football and rugby grounds mixed with senior Gaa grounds the better. Watching football and rugby on full size Gaa pitches is like having a running track around it, it's ****.

please helpThank YOU

Thomond Park Stadium Limerick the holy grail of rugby powerful Stadium one of the best in the world.

please helpThank YOU

please helpThank YOU wrote: »

Thomond Park Stadium Limerick the holy grail of rugby powerful Stadium one of the best in the world.

When the going is good. It has also seen attendances of less than a third of capacity in competitive games.

andekwarhola

There doesn't seem to be much joined up thinking re: the amount of underused GAA stadiums in the country. I suspect it's often a personal white elephant thing: build a trophy ground in a certain parish even if it's going to be underused or often just to try and drain sports grants away from other (read: foreign) sports.

Rugby generally seems to has decent venues?

A lot of LOI stadiums are terrible shape, not helped obviously by the disinterest of the public and the incompetence of the FAI. The best ones in the country are usually not owned by the clubs in question like Tallaght stadium or Turners Cross. Dalymount as well when it's finished, presumably.

theoneeyedman

[Deleted User] wrote: »

When the going is good. It has also seen attendances of less than a third of capacity in competitive games.

How many were there today for the pro 12 semi final, looked maybe 60% full at the most on TV.

Lots of passive condemnation of the GAA here for developing grounds around the country. For all of their faults, they are the only organisation in the country with the get up and go to put facilities on practically every parish in the country. True, they get some grant funding from LOTTO etc, but in general this is miniscule in relation to the money raised and the value of the facilities.
The suggestion instead is to hand over control of facilities to municipal authorities and the government. Are you serious? What facilities do these organisations provide at present?? Underfunded, expensive, swimming pools in county towns is about the height of it. They have no interest in or experience of developing these facilities or running them.
Likewise the FAI, part of the richest sporting organisation in the world and haven't a pot to piss in, but have a CEO earning over 400k. Most League of Ireland clubs in general are stony broke, and are left swinging in the wind by the FAI in general. The IRFU is a little better, but has no real presence around the country in terms of facilities. Eg, talk here of development the showgrounds in Galway, that connacht rugby don't own,?

Salthill GAA was a crazy decision, made by a powerful clic from the city. Developing Tuam was the correct decision at the time, but that ship has sailed.
In an ideal world op you might be onto something, given a blank page and everyone paying their way. But you just know that isn't the case. When push comes to shove, they'll all come cap in hand to the GAA to bail them out when they need pitches for World Cups or whatever

osarusan

andekwarhola wrote: »

A lot of LOi stadiums that in terrible shape, not helped obviously by the disinterest of the public and the incompetence of the FAI. The best ones n the country are usually not owned by the clubs in question like Tallaght stadium or Turners Cross.

Yeah, no LOI team can really commit to setting aside a few million (which they don't even have) to building a proper stadium when every season is pretty much a battle for survival.

wakka12

Is sport really priority at this moment in time? With such poor transport, housing and healthcare problems across the board in this country any significant expense given over to sports just seems ridiculous tbh!

TheRiverman

please helpThank YOU wrote: »

Thomond Park Stadium Limerick the holy grail of rugby powerful Stadium one of the best in the world.

Lovely Stadium to look at,but those top seats in the stands are so steep and far away from the pitch.

Peregrine

MarinersBlues wrote: »

I'm from Galway so I have an opinion here.
If the sportsground was developed fully you could fit a 20k stadium on that site, along with a much needed multi-story carpark. If you had a proper engineer/architect I'm sure there could be a way to have retractable terraces to address pitch sizes.

The owners won't sell the Sportsgrounds and the dogs don't want to be kicked out and left without a stadium in Galway. Besides, there's no way you could get a new stadium through the planning process in that location. All the residents would object and they'd have a point.

A new stadium in Galway would have to be in a different location.

Widdershins

wakka12 wrote: »

Is sport really priority at this moment in time? With such poor transport, housing and healthcare problems across the board in this country any significant expense given over to sports just seems ridiculous tbh!

+1

Go and visit the field hospital that is Limerick and E and tell me we 'need' to spend more on sports facilities.

Sports are a hobby not a necessity. It has health benefits and it is a good way to occupy young people but there are higher priorities right now. Fund it between yourselves if necessary.

TheRiverman

Peregrine wrote: »

The owners won't sell the Sportsgrounds and the dogs don't want to be kicked out and left without a stadium in Galway. Besides, there's no way you could get a new stadium through the planning process in that location. All the residents would object and they'd have a point.

A new stadium in Galway would have to be in a different location.

A new stadium in Galway should be the redevelopment of Tuam.

andekwarhola

Widdershins wrote: »

+1

Go and visit the field hospital that is Limerick and E and tell me we 'need' to spend more on sports facilities.

Sports are a hobby not a necessity. It has health benefits and it is a good way to occupy young people but there are higher priorities right now. Fund it between yourselves if necessary.

Fair (and emotive) point but municipal stadiums (like Tallaght, for example) actually generate income for the local authority and community. Not only directly (hefty anchor tenant rents, stadium advertising, events etc) but also indirectly (jobs, commercial footfall around matches and other events).

A stadium is also often about more than bean counting. It is a focal community point and sporting facility and in the case of Tallaght, the club has a lot of positive activities (in an area with a lot of underprivileged sectors) in the community with stuff like schools and young people generally. I've no doubt other stadia (of all codes) have similar structures.

It's always a bit reductive to reduce things to Sport: frivolous; Other stuff: worthy

keeponhurling

It should not be a priority for a government to interfere and force sporting organizations to do anything.
We're already enough of a nanny state.

Widdershins

andekwarhola wrote: »

Fair (and emotive) point but municipal stadiums (like Tallaght, for example) actually generate income for the local authority and community. Not only directly (hefty anchor tenant rents, stadium advertising, events etc) but also indirectly (jobs, commercial footfall around matches and other events).

A stadium is also often about more than bean counting. It is a focal community point and sporting facility and in the case of Tallaght, the club has a lot of positive activities (in an area with a lot of underprivileged sectors) in the community with stuff like schools and young people generally. I've no doubt other stadia (of all codes) have similar structures.

It's always a bit reductive to reduce things to Sport: frivolous; Other stuff: worthy

I think anyone who'd experienced the place, especially with a vulnerable person like a relative with alzheimers, would feel just as strongly. I'd consider it a human rights issue.
If it's a funding issue causing these problems then prioritisation must happen. Surely nobody could argue against that?

Does the revenue generated exceed what's spent on sporting facilities?

andekwarhola

Widdershins wrote: »

I think anyone who'd experienced the place, especially with a vulnerable person like a relative with alzheimers, would feel just as strongly. I'd consider it a human rights issue.
If it's a funding issue causing these problems then prioritisation must happen. Surely nobody could argue against that?

Does the revenue generated exceed what's spent on sporting facilities?

To be fair, I don't think funding is really the issue the issue with our health system. We have one of the highest spend ratios there in the OECD, don't we?

The problem is that it's a dysfunctional, financial rat hole so i'm not sure kidding ourselves that firing another few million into it instead of other capital projects will matter too much in the current political climate.

Widdershins

andekwarhola wrote: »

To be fair, I don't think funding is really the issue the issue with our health system. We have one of the highest spend ratios there in the OECD, don't we?

The problem is that it's a dysfunctional, financial rat hole so i'm not sure kidding ourselves that firing another few million into it instead of other capital projects will matter too much in the current political climate.

I don't know. There's a new A and E department in UHL Limerick but there's a shortfall of a couple of million that was delaying the opening. So funding seems to be at least one factor.

MarinersBlues

keeponhurling wrote: »

It should not be a priority for a government to interfere and force sporting organizations to do anything.
We're already enough of a nanny state.

It's not interfering. Its refusing to pay grants to have the same work done over and over again for stadia that are underused.

One decent sporting venue for each population centre with another larger one for a given region. Or something along those lines.

Let all sports access the facilities as long as they help maintain it.

MarinersBlues

TheRiverman wrote: »

A new stadium in Galway should be the redevelopment of Tuam.

For what?
You have Pearse stadium in Galway and McHale park in Mayo.
Why would you invest in Tuam?
Take out the lethal cavity blocks and maybe put in a decent roofed terrace and leave it at that.

Your Face

Woo!
Sports!

Tin Foil Hat

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

The less football and rugby grounds mixed with senior Gaa grounds the better. Watching football and rugby on full size Gaa pitches is like having a running track around it, it's ****.

Yup!
I was at the Munster v Leinster game in Croke Park in 2009, seated at one of the goal ends. Even the play happening on the try line right beneath me was fukkin' miles away. I didn't like it at all. Of course, it didn't help my mood that Munster got absolutely spanked.

uch

I think if the Government are giving grants to any sporting body to build stadia, then the stadia should not be owned by said particular body, but the community, and any sporting association should be able to pay the local authority a small fee and use it, the GAA situation in this country is ridiculous, huge stadia empty most of the year Because, THEY'RE OURS, NO Foreign sports

tomwaterford

uch wrote: »

I think if the Government are giving grants to any sporting body to build stadia, then the stadia should not be owned by said particular body, but the community, and any sporting association should be able to pay the local authority a small fee and use it, the GAA situation in this country is ridiculous, huge stadia empty most of the year Because, THEY'RE OURS, NO Foreign sports

Its hardly the gaa fault they developed such good facilities??


Let rugby and soccer built their own...theyve enoigh to be paying professional players and the likes of john delaney millions every year?

uch

tomwaterford wrote: »

Its hardly the gaa fault they developed such good facilities??


Let rugby and soccer built their own...theyve enoigh to be paying professional players and the likes of john delaney millions every year?

Wasn't suggesting that, but why have the government paid so many grants to stadia that wont allow anybody else to use them, unfortunately the GAA are top of the list in this country

tomwaterford

uch wrote: »

Wasn't suggesting that, but why have the government paid so many grants to stadia that wont allow anybody else to use them, unfortunately the GAA are top of the list in this country

The GAA grants on stadia by and large amount to VAT back which the gaa iirc cant claim....

But soccer and rugby can....this myth that the government are funding gaa stadiums around the country in preference to rugby/soccer.....if anything the goverment are leveling the playing field

BrianBoru00

Widdershins wrote: »

+1

Go and visit the field hospital that is Limerick and E and tell me we 'need' to spend more on sports facilities.

Sports are a hobby not a necessity. It has health benefits and it is a good way to occupy young people but there are higher priorities right now. Fund it between yourselves if necessary.

That attitude is exactly the problem in the country. Hospital in Limerick is a problem so spend money on it???

Sports ARE a necessity even more now than ever before. By pumping billions into sport (instead of the embarrassingly paltry 44 million per year given through the Sport Ireland) you get people participating in sport.

This has a proven impact on mental health and would also impact hugely on obesity - surely I don't need to explain the health service time bomb that's bulging over this issue.

So we're saving money in the long term. And yes it would be long term, not the 5 years that politicians will normally look at but over the next generation and beyond

Coffee Fulled Runner

While I admire the GAA from a organisational point of view. The way their sport is an integral part of most communities is some feat. The way it became this dominant was down to been ruthless with other codes. In my home town we had a fairly community park where the local GAA, football, rugby, and athletics trained and played. In the 1980s their was much sports grants been handed out. The board of the community park was mainly GAA people but that was an issue until they decided to accept money from GAA headquarters to build new dressing rooms with the condition the the park be handed over to the GAA, even though money was been raised locally. Sadly that meant no other sport could use the facilities and all went their different ways. I really think our community missed out on getting great facilities if all clubs worked together instead of competing against each other for fund raisers in our town for their own facilities. Even over the boom when big sports grants were been handed out each club was getting a bit but never really enough to really make a massive improvement.

MarinersBlues

tomwaterford wrote: »

Its hardly the gaa fault they developed such good facilities??


Let rugby and soccer built their own...theyve enoigh to be paying professional players and the likes of john delaney millions every year?

It's not the GAA's "fault". Its just a waste.
If, for example, they sold Pearse stadium and agreed to contribute to a municipal stadium they would have 10s millions left over to invest in the clubs or growing the sport in other ways.

Fair play to them for accumulating the wealth they have, and for everything they contribute to society. I am a GAA fan. GAA grounds are only getting called out because they make up so much of the list.

I'm just saying from a national point of view, and each individual sports point of view, pooling resources where possible could be massively beneficial.

The largest sporting crowds attend rugby and GAA. Their peak seasons are opposite each other. Ground sharing large stadia makes sense.
Soccer could contribute to some smaller stadia that would be perfect for league and U21 games.

Massive stadia of 40k+ on prime retail in Limerick, Tipp, Cork and Kerry, that for the most part are poorly kept, is a complete waste of resources. There would be uproar if any of these stadia held big games on the same day or even weekend.
It is just keeping up with the Jones'.

MarinersBlues

tomwaterford wrote: »

The GAA grants on stadia by and large amount to VAT back which the gaa iirc cant claim....

But soccer and rugby can....this myth that the government are funding gaa stadiums around the country in preference to rugby/soccer.....if anything the goverment are leveling the playing field[/QUOTE]

How about less competing with each other and more working together for the betterement of everyone?

Free money that is tied up in valuable uner used capital so it can be used to get kids involved in every sport.
Not everyone will have the ability to becom a hurler, but with more money the GAA could provide more people the chance to give it a go.
A fitter population would benefit society as a whole.

Widdershins

BrianBoru00 wrote: »

That attitude is exactly the problem in the country. Hospital in Limerick is a problem so spend money on it???

Sports ARE a necessity even more now than ever before. By pumping billions into sport (instead of the embarrassingly paltry 44 million per year given through the Sport Ireland) you get people participating in sport.

This has a proven impact on mental health and would also impact hugely on obesity - surely I don't need to explain the health service time bomb that's bulging over this issue.

So we're saving money in the long term. And yes it would be long term, not the 5 years that politicians will normally look at but over the next generation and beyond

My attitude is what's wrong with the country? Oh do cop on.

If you still have an obesity epidemic after pumping money in already maybe ask yourself if the fat kids just don't want to play hurling or football. Excercise is free, you can get out and move around in many ways without being a gaa member. Meanwhile you have healhcare crisis and it's urgent.

I already conceded that there are some benefits to having some sporting infrastructure.

And I still haven't received an answer to the question, does the revenue generated exceed the revenue expended on facilities?

MarinersBlues

Widdershins wrote: »

And I still haven't received an answer to the question, does the revenue generated exceed the revenue expended on facilities?

I'd say they make a fair go at breaking even.

Does the revenue generated from hospitals exceed the revenue expended on facilities?

Widdershins

MarinersBlues wrote: »

I'd say they make a fair go at breaking even.

Does the revenue generated from hospitals exceed the revenue expended on facilities?

You'd say? And breaking even hardly warrants further expenditure.

Hospitals aren't there to make a profit for the state, they're there to keep people alive.

My own line of work could do with a cash injection but I'd rather they fix the health service first.

krazyklown

Coming from a GAA background I would say the problem of sports capital funding is more at the local level. For instance in the parish i am from, there is an exclusive hurling club and exclusive football club. Both have their own set of facilities at either end of the parish. Both have also received substantial funding from the sports captial scheme. As did the nearby soccer club and rugby club. So each club now has its own grounds which they have to fundraise to maintain (keep pitches cut, upkeep of changing rooms & meeting rooms). Duplicating their running costs. In my opinion, the sports capital funding should have priortised clubs prepared to colocate so that they share changing rooms but have their own pitch etc. Obviously this would be more difficult in large towns and cities with demand for green space. I was at hurling ground in Tipp once and the local soccer club had a pitch right beside the hurling ground. It looked like they shared the mower to maintain both.
Sharing pitches is a non runner for GAA and soccer/rugby, but sharing infrastructure certainly is.

As regards the health v sport spending debate - its a fair point to raise - obviously fixing our health system is the priority but i genuinely dont believe that the core problem is funding.

MarinersBlues

Widdershins wrote: »

You'd say? And breaking even hardly warrants further expenditure.

Hospitals aren't there to make a profit for the state, they're there to keep people alive.

My own line of work could do with a cash injection but I'd rather they fix the health service first.

You are totally missing the point that I am making.

I am saying there is too much being spent on stadiums and there needs to be joined up thinkiing.

There are grants being spent on the multiple stadia in the same areas that aren't used enough to justify the spend.
If sporting organisations pooled their resources and the government grants then there would be better facilities available at a lower cost to the state.

Sporting bodies aren't there to make profit either.
They are there to promote their sport.
If more people were active in a VARIETY of sporting pursuits then the health system might not be under so much strain.

Widdershins

MarinersBlues wrote: »

You are totally missing the point that I am making.

I am saying there is too much being spent on stadiums and there needs to be joined up thinkiing.

There are grants being spent on the multiple stadia in the same areas that aren't used enough to justify the spend.
If sporting organisations pooled their resources and the government grants then there would be better facilities available at a lower cost to the state.

Sporting bodies aren't there to make profit either.
They are there to promote their sport.
If more people were active in a VARIETY of sporting pursuits then the health system might not be under so much strain.

I did miss your point, sorry about that.

TheRiverman

MarinersBlues wrote: »

For what?
You have Pearse stadium in Galway and McHale park in Mayo.
Why would you invest in Tuam?
Take out the lethal cavity blocks and maybe put in a decent roofed terrace and leave it at that.

Sell Pearse Stadium.Salthill is a lovely place for holidays,but a ridiculous place for a sports stadium.