Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.

SCEP is one of a number of schemes operated by the Department which is categorised as being “part funded by the National Lottery”. Under section 8 of the National Lottery Act 1986, the proceeds of the National Lottery are paid into the Central Fund of the Exchequer. The apportionment of National Lottery funding to various lines of voted expenditure is the responsibility of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

Under the latest completed round (2020) of the Programme over €166 million was allocated, which was the highest level of funding ever allocated under the Programme. A list of all allocations made under the SCP/SCEP since 2000 is published on my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/471ed5-sports-capital-allocations/.

A list of payments made under the SCP/SCEP since 2011 is also published on my Department's website at:

www.gov.ie/en/collection/efc6c4-sports-capital-programmes-payments/.

Each grant has a sunset clause which is communicated to grantees at the time of provisional allocation. Where grantees demonstrate reasons for unavoidable delays in drawing down their grants, my department's approach is to accommodate any reasonable requests for extensions. Any organisation requiring an extension to the timeframe for drawing down a grant should contact the Sports Capital Division of my department.