Martin Heydon TD for Kildare South, and Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, has today confirmed funding of €4.875m for Kildare GAA towards the redevelopment of St Conleths Park, Newbridge under the Governments large scale sports infrastructural fund.
“Kildare GAA have very exciting plans for the redevelopment of our County grounds in Newbridge which I have supported from the start. Kildare GAA, through it’s clubs, provide facilities for social, recreational and healthy activities the length and breath of our county. St. Conleths Park is the headquarters where every club and county player strives to play. The poor standard of our county grounds is not fitting for a proud and ambitious county of our size.
Kildare Gaa’s ambitious plans to develop a new state of the art stand, dressings rooms and supporter facilities is an investment for all Kildare Men & Women, Boys & Girls who play, football, hurling and camoige in the county.
While the Gaa will fund over half of the €10m overall cost, I always knew that significant Government funding would be needed as a catalyst for the project to proceed. I have therefore fought within Government for the past 3 years, to ensure that the Kildare need for funds was heard loud and clear.
“I have brought 2 Ministers with responsibility for Sport Brendan Griffin and his predecessor Patrick O’Donovan to view the outdated facilities in Newbridge and I was glad that the Taoiseach was able to accept my invitation earlier this week to see the grounds for himself and to understand the hugely positive knock on impact that such a grant will have for the wider economy of Newbridge Town and it’s businesses.
“As a proud Kildare GAA supporter I congratulate the present and previous Kildare County Board Officers for the work they have put into this project to date. I look forward to assisting them and their redevelopment committee further as they work to turn our dreams of a state of the art GAA stadium in the centre of Newbridge into a reality. #NewbridgeorNowhere
