Political party questions the awarding of €20,000 to a small cycling club while Irish cycling is in need of such large scale investment.
There have been calls for an inquiry into the securing of a €20,000 grant by a Co Mayo cycling club based in the home village of Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
A local councillor said other clubs in Mayo were “screaming” for funding but had been left waiting.
And the Worker’s Party said Islandeady was a small club, with 105 members, yet other cycling projects that would benefit a much larger number of cyclists were being neglected.
Islandeady CC has defended its securing of the grant saying its members had lost an average of 1½ stone each.
But Worker’s Party Dublin North-West representative Jimmy Dignam believed the funding should be examined by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
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“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?" he said.
“The sport of cycling is currently booming in Ireland with Cycling Ireland’s membership going from 5,000 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.
“Islandeady is a relatively small club and it seems odd that such a large grant would be required.
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“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.”
It emerged at the weekend that the club had been awarded the grant from a scheme run by the Department of Health.
Under that scheme Lottery funding is distributed to groups for the provision of health related services and facilities.
Islandeady CC was the only sports club to receive a grant from 120 recipient organisations this year.
Records available on the Department of Health’s website dating as far back as 2009 show no other cycling club has ever received a grant under the scheme.
And Islandeady is believed to be the first cycling club ever to secure one of the health related grants.
However, the club has said the Taoiseach had no part in applying for the grant or in the funds being approved. It added Mr Kenny was not even consulted.
A spokesman pointed out the club was “providing better health” as its 105 members had lost a combined 150 stone.
Spokesman Pádraig Horkan told The Irish Times the club would now be able to provide “proper exercise equipment” at its base in Jack’s cottage in the village of Islandeady.
“At the moment members that spin have to bring their own bikes and turboframes with them, ” he said.
However, local councillor Michael Kilcoyne, who is a member of HSE West, was critical of the grant being awarded.
While he did not begrudge the club being awarded the funding, he said other clubs in the county desperately needed money and had been left without.
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