Enda Kenny, made honorary chairman of club last year

There has been a call for an investigation into the payment of a €20,000 grant to a cycling club in Enda Kenny’s Mayo constituency.

Workers’ Party Dublin North-West representative, Jimmy Dignam, has today (Tuesday) called on the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General to investigate the process of Enda Kenny’s Islandeady cycling club receiving a grant of €20,000.

Dignam stated: “There are a number of serious questions that need to be answered by the Taoiseach and the Department of Health over the selection process to award Islandeady a grant of €20,000. It is the first time ever that a sports club has received a grant from the Department of Health as opposed to the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport. How was this made possible?”

Dignam continued: “The sport of cycling is currently booming in Ireland with Cycling Ireland’s membership going from 5000 members in 2008 to 28,000 members in 2016. Despite this development, investment in cycle lanes and infrastructure remain underfunded. It is a running joke within Irish cycling that a track cycling covered-velodrome will someday be built. This country is now consistently churning out top track cyclists such as Martyn Irvine, Mark Downey and Lydia Gurley. The cycling community has repeatedly been promised appropriate funding but we are still waiting.”

Dignam concluded: “Islandeady is a relatively small club and it seems odd that such a large grant would be required. Enda Kenny was last year made an honorary member of Islandeady and this means that the Taoiseach should answer questions about the grants’ approval. I am calling on the Comptroller and Auditor General to investigate this matter, to ensure that no favouritism was granted to Islandeady due to its close association with the Taoiseach.”