Balbriggan RFC welcomes the announcement earlier today by Minister James Reilly of the award of an additional grant to the Club of €500K. Club President David McFadden commented as follows.
‘The Club is delighted to receive this additional funding from the Sports Capital Fund. Over the past 10 years Balbriggan RFC made strenuous efforts to bring a swimming pool to the North Fingal area. However, despite our best efforts and the efforts of the Council, this has proved impossible. Insurmountable difficulties were encountered in relation to the public private partnership model that was being pursued and the constraints in EU Procurement rules also made the project next to impossible to pursue. It was with regret that the Department, Fingal and Balbriggan RFC had to call a halt to our efforts to build a swimming pool for the people of North Fingal at our grounds in Balbriggan RFC.
Whilst Balbriggan RFC was committed to the swimming pool project the Club was not in a position to apply for other development grants. The impact of this over the years has been that the Club was unable to develop much needed Club house facilities to cater for our growing numbers. We have recently applied for planning permission for a club house which will have 6 changing rooms. There are also a large number of other projects that have to be undertaken on the site. These include; the installation of an additional all weather grass pitch for our youth teams, levelling and grassing the rest of the site which will enable more clubs to use the facility and last but not least completing the driveway and parking areas. These projects will absorb all our funds and any grant aid we receive. It is a very exciting time for Balbriggan RFC in this our 90th anniversary season. This grant builds on the financial support already committed to the Club by Fingal County Council.
I would like to thank Minister Reilly for his efforts in securing this grant for Balbriggan RFC. I would also like to thank Councillor Tony Murphy for his efforts in helping to secure the previously committed council support for the development of the Club. Finally ,I would like to thank the patience of our members over the last 10 years and hopefully by this time next year we will see the fruits of our labours. In particular, the Club is indebted to the work done by Gerry Hennigan and Robert Cashell who have stuck with this project over the years to ensure that the Club achieved a favourable outcome.’
