T3. Ms Bunting asked the Minister of Finance what engagement his Department has had with the Department for Communities to ensure that the necessary funding is available to progress the subregional stadia programme for soccer. (AQT 1403/17-22)

We discussed the Budget process with the Department for Communities pre Christmas when we were waiting, and after we set the initial draft Budget, when we asked what the Department's requirement were. A standstill Budget scenario, particularly for the Department of Communities, which is a big Department with a lot of staff and costs, means, in effect, a reduction. While we had some increase in our capital budget and we gave some Departments an increase in capital budget, I am sure that not all got everything that they wanted or would like to have had brought forward.

I do not have specific figures for the subregional stadia programme on what was bid for or what was received. That may be a question for the Department for Communities. Certainly, there was an increased capital budget this time, and it is up to Departments, when they receive that, to prioritise it accordingly.

The Minister will be aware that local football clubs have waited some 10 years to see the benefits of the programme. Given that sport plays a huge role in the general well-being of our whole society, does he agree that it is time to make vital capital investment in sport and, in so doing, benefit the construction sector?

Yes, I am all for it. That is why, overall, there is disappointment with the Budget allocation that we got. There was a ray of hope with the capital allocation, which was an improvement, and I am all for putting that into sport. I am a sports fan. In the couple of years when the Executive were not functioning, I represented some of those clubs that tried to access the subregional fund. There was difficulty in distributing it because permanent secretaries were not prepared to take decisions that they thought that Ministers should take. I would love to see that on the ground. I know the benefits that it brings not only for construction jobs but for the much broader benefit to the community and younger people in particular from access to and involvement in sport. I am a keen supporter of all that, and I hope that the Department has sufficient capital to invest all that it wants in supporting sport in the time ahead.

Mr Catney is not in his place for the next question. Anois iarraim ar John O'Dowd. I call John O'Dowd.