Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was delighted to be able to launch the 2014 round of the sports capital programme earlier this year, through which €40 million is available for allocation. The 2,036 applications received under the 2014 programme are currently being assessed by officials in my Department.  Every application will be assessed by one official and reviewed by another.  Given the number of applications received and the detail contained therein, this process takes a number of months to complete.  I hope to announce allocations in the next number of weeks.

Applications are first checked to ensure eligibility.  All eligible applications are initially assessed against the following five criteria: the likelihood of increasing participation and improving performance and sharing of facilities; the level of socioeconomic disadvantage in the area; technical merits of the project; the level of own funding available; and the level of sports capital programme funding received in the past. These criteria are designed to give higher scores to applications which increase participation, share facilities, are from designated disadvantaged areas, have not received substantial funding in the past or are ready to be progressed at the earliest opportunity.

In deciding the final allocations within each county, the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and I may have regard to other criteria, such as the need to ensure a fair distribution across different sports and between rural and urban areas.  I assure Deputy Dooley that I am satisfied the allocation process is fair and transparent.

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