Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue which is, I am sure, of great importance to the club concerned. The sports capital programme, which is part funded from the proceeds of the national lottery, is the primary means of granting Government support for the provision of sports facilities at national, regional and local level. It would not be an exaggeration to state that the programme has been of benefit to communities the length and breadth of the country.

Under the sports capital programme, the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport provides funding to voluntary, sporting and community organisations for the provision of sports and recreational facilities. More than 7,400 projects have benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to more than €738 million. The programme has, in the past ten years, transformed the sporting landscape of Ireland with improvements in the quality and quantity of sporting facilities in every part of the country. The facilities funded range from the smallest clubs to national centres of sporting excellence.

Deputies will be aware of the many benefits that derive from the programme in their respective localities. They will have no doubt noted the value of the programme in assisting local clubs in meeting the sporting needs of their areas and targeting clubs in areas of social disadvantage. By doing this, the Government is supporting the provision of facilities where there may be little prospect of such facilities being provided by communities acting alone. These facilities provide an opportunity for participation in sport which leads to healthier lifestyles and a reduced likelihood of younger people drifting into anti-social behaviour.

It is a common misconception that the programme has been discontinued. The programme is very active, with €48 million provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport in 2010 to cover the payment of grants. This funding will allow more than 1,000 payments to be made to sports clubs and community groups in every county.

Since 1998, Churchtown GAA club has received four allocations under the sports capital programme, totalling €231,579. Of this, only the €50,000 provisional allocation made in 2008 remains to be drawn down. All grant allocations are subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the programme. These include, for allocations above certain specified thresholds, the execution of a deed of covenant and charge. This places a charge on the grantee's title to the property and is intended to protect the taxpayer's investment by ensuring the facility remains in sporting use for at least 15 years. The Department's legal adviser, the Office of the Chief State Solicitor, deals with the grantee's solicitor in executing this deed.

The Chief State Solicitor's office wrote to the grantee's solicitor on 31 August last seeking confirmation that registration of a deed of covenant and charge in respect of previous allocations had been completed in the Property Registration Authority in accordance with undertakings provided at the time. The office informed the Department this afternoon that no response had been received to the letter of 31 August. Until this confirmation is received, formal approval of the provisional allocation made in 2008 cannot be progressed. The Deputy will appreciate that in the current circumstances, a high priority must continue to be attached to properly protecting public investment in sports facilities. The club's solicitors should confirm registration of the previous Deed to the Chief State Solicitor's office as a matter of priority and the Department will continue to liaise with the grantee on an ongoing basis to assist in progressing the allocation.

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