Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will respond very briefly. Senator O'Mahony referred to the large-scale scheme. This is something that will be put in place for projects that will typically require a higher level of State funding than the €150,000 available under the local scheme or the €200,000 under the regional scheme, which are available under the sports capital programme. We hope to invite expressions of interest in the near future. We are also looking to involving the national governing bodies heavily in that process also so that we may have a strategic approach to planning our large-scale infrastructure. We have a provision of more than €100 million for that in coming years. While that is a lot of money, in the context of large-scale projects it is not a huge amount, so we must be very careful about how we spend it and how it is distributed. I hope that it will be moving for the summer. I am very anxious to get it moving, as is the Minister, Deputy Ross, because we have a huge backlog of large-scale schemes that require investment as a result of the overall situation over the past decade.

For clarity, there is a 30 hour a week licence agreement requirement on schools facilities being open to the public. That is something that works very well as it ensures that projects that otherwise would not have happened at all do happen because of the school involvement. The schoolchildren get the benefit of it during the day and the wider public gets the benefit of it at night, regardless of whether they go to that school or whether it is fee-paying. It is non-discriminatory. That is something that is often overlooked.

Senator Feighan asked about national governing bodies. It is a matter for the individual national governing bodies in the context of the whole island or the Republic and Northern Ireland. I think we have 45 all-island national governing bodies.

The Irish rugby team is the prime example of one such body that works well. Again, there are sensitivities and issues surrounding this sometimes. There are various reasons people do not go down that route. We need to be respectful of everyone involved in that discussion. Sport Ireland is willing to work with everyone regardless of circumstances.

Reference was made to facilities to be used in this jurisdiction for events that might be taking place in Northern Ireland. That is a matter for the people involved. Certainly, I do not know of anyone who has not been willing to make their facilities available. As a result of the sports capital programme, we have been able to build up our infrastructure to be world class in some cases, and that is positive.

A question was asked about the Commonwealth Games, an issue that has been raised many times. From a sporting perspective, the games represent another avenue for athletes and a big stage on which to perform. In that sense the opportunity helps in the development of athletes. Some of our Northern Ireland based athletes have the benefit of European, world and Commonwealth competition whereas other athletes representing Ireland only compete at European and world level. There is a dimension to that. Obviously, we are not part of the Commonwealth, so it is something around which there are sensitivities. It is more than simply about sports.

The Vice Chairman raised a question about the sports capital programme, and the Minister answered it. We are looking to move to an annual basis because it gives certainty to clubs. It would probably reduce the level of oversubscription. Since we have been unable to run an annualised sports capital programme in recent years, we encounter organisations applying even when they are not ready because they are unsure whether there will be another round for two years. If we can give clubs and those at the coalface an opportunity to plan better, that would be better. Certainly, an annualised scheme would be good. It would also help phased development rather than have everyone putting in for everything all at the one time. Clubs could choose to do phased development. That would make it easier on the Department in matching the expectations. It is a goal for us and we are very much on track. We have a 2018 programme and I am confident that we will have a 2019 programme. That would mean successive programmes for 2017, 2018 and 2019. Let us keep that going in the future.

The question of disadvantage was raised. More than 1,000 of the 1,700 clubs were from disadvantaged areas. We have four categories relating to disadvantage: not disadvantaged, disadvantaged, moderately disadvantaged, and extremely disadvantaged. We use the Pobal HP deprivation index. Previously, the programme was based on the CLÁR and RAPID programmes. This is more targeted and focused and it takes in more data in determining the level of disadvantage.

Deputy Troy mentioned a review. Each sports capital programme has been reviewed upon conclusion. This assessment is not any different in terms of the pros and cons, what could be done better and what is working well. The consultation process with the recipients and the applicants is feeding into that process as well and that is healthy.

Deputy Troy asked about Longford-Westmeath. The local sports partnership would have been informed and would have informed all its registered bodies. Every club that was registered on the online sports capital register, OSCAR, used by the sports capital division would have been informed. Moreover, the national governing bodies would have been informed in respect of Deputy Troy's constituency. In future, we will ensure that each public representative is made aware of the details. Certainly, there was a good turn-out. We had a full room in Galway. We are looking to try to meet as many people as we can because these are the people at the coalface. They show up. They have been through the system and know how it works. We have received some good suggestions following the engagements and these will feed into the next programme.

I do not like the phrase "minority sports". Each person's respective sport is the most important sport for that person. Everyone involved in sport, especially the volunteers, should be commended on what they do for their country and communities.

As I said earlier, every valid application received funding under the local scheme and two thirds were funded under the regional scheme. I have before me a breakdown of the information on who got what by sport and I can circulate it afterwards. The information relating to who got what is already on the website. All applications are on the website but there is a breakdown of who got what in more than 50 sports categories. The amount received was directly proportionate to the score and the amount sought. I heard someone complaining – the Deputy has left now - about €600. If we were to give €10,000 to a club that looked for €600, then we would be before the Committee of Public Accounts. It seems that by giving what clubs have asked for or giving the amounts merited by the application proportionate to the amount sought, we are the bad guys all of a sudden. It seems we cannot win. We have tried to be entirely fair in how we have allocated the funding. I can circulate the figures. We have a list of everyone who got funding. I can give committee members all of the information on all the sports, the total amounts they got and the number of grants that made up the total. We can circulate the information afterwards.