Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Under the sports capital programme, SPC, funding is provided to voluntary, sporting and community organisations for the provision of sports and recreational facilities.

I was delighted to announce €31 million in provisional allocations under the 2012 round of the sports capital programme. The Deputy will be aware that this had been the first round of the programme since 2008. The 2012 round of the programme attracted a record number of 2,170 applications. With such high demand, it was never going to be possible to fund all applications.

I was pleased, therefore, to press ahead with a new round of the sports capital programme in 2014. Some 2,036 applications were received under the 2014 SCP, the second highest number ever received, illustrating the continuing demand and need for investment in sporting facilities. In July, I announced provisional allocations totalling €40.5 million. A total of 821 of the provisional allocations were towards local sports clubs and organisations, with the remaining 59 provisionally allocated to regional or national projects.

No decision has been taken on the timing of the next round of the sports capital programme.

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