Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was pleased to announce a total of €40.5 million in allocations earlier this year under the 2014 round of the sports capital programme.

I am delighted that I have been able to secure the agreement of the Government for funding to enable me to announce a further round of the programme in 2015. This will be the third round of the sports capital programme since this Government came into office, and details will be announced when they are finalised. All applicants under the sports capital programme must first register with the online sports capital register, OSCAR, system. The terms and conditions for any programme are published in advance on the Department's website. Applications under each round of the programme are first checked to ensure eligibility.

Under the 2014 round of the programme, all eligible applications were initially assessed against five criteria, namely the likelihood of increasing participation or improving performance and availing of shared facilities, the level of socioeconomic disadvantage in the area, the technical merits of the project, the level of other funding available to the organisation, and the level of sports capital programme funding received in the past.

In some instances the Department permits a change of purpose or change of location in relation to a grant when asked to do so by a grantee. The sports capital programme does not generally permit the transfer of capital allocations from one organisation to another. It does, however, occasionally allow a change of grantee where the new grantee has title to the property and where the original grantee requests the transfer of the grant. Such applications are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

The criteria for drawing down grants - for example, tax clearance, proof of payment, submission of valid paid invoices and completion of any necessary legalities - do not vary according to the type of facilities being funded, though naturally there are less onerous requirements for the purchase of equipment.

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