Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As it is capital, it is a multiannual programme and that has been the nature of it for many years. Even so, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to running regular rounds of the sports capital and equipment programme. We answered parliamentary questions on this issue last week in the House. The timeline and sequence will involve, first, concluding the appeals process that I referred to in response to Deputy Cannon and the €6 million allocation in that regard. We will then conduct a review of the sports capital programme from this round, and take learnings and get input from the Oireachtas and the broader public as to how we can strengthen it and ensure every part of our grassroots sports system can apply and be enabled to fulfil their ambition. We expect that to take about two or three months.

After that, we will look at a timeline for a further round. There will be a further round, although I cannot give a definitive answer as to when we will open it. It is still my intention and that of the Minister to match the ambition in our sporting system and to invest in it. We will be able to give further details to the committee as we move through the year about when there will be a further round. As it took ten months to assess the applications for both capital equipment, we cannot commit to an annual round where we can assess and pay out in that period. It is a multiannual programme and has been that way for many years. Nevertheless, we appreciate the demand that is there, the ambition in communities and the scale people want, which is why we delivered the €150 million investment this year.