Charlie McConalogue’s appointment as a junior minister has led to new calls for a review of the decision to turn down funding for Buncrana Leisure Centre.
Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has called McConalogue as the new Minister of State for Sport to carry out an urgent review in his department as to why funding for a new Buncrana Leisure Centre was unsuccessful, late last year, under the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn said: “The Inishowen peninsula of 40,000 population has been without a community leisure centre and swimming pool for far too many years now. The local committee working with Donegal County Council have now progressed this to an exciting and shovel ready project with planning permission secured.
“There was a widespread expectation that this funding application to the government would be successful.
“Instead, we had widespread despair and anger as evidenced at the public meeting attended by hundreds of people in Crana College, Buncrana, last November.”
Deputy Mac Lochlainn added: “The appointment of a local TD as the Minister of State for Sport provides a real opportunity to get this project over the line, once and for all.
“I am asking the Minister to carry out an urgent review within his department and to work in partnership with the local committee, Donegal County Council, and the local sporting organisations and schools to make this a good news story for our communities in Inishowen.”
