Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Some 635 applications from the total number received were for equipment only. Examples include rowing clubs looking for rowing boats and boxing clubs requesting punching bags etc. It might also include Gaelic Athletic Association, GAA, and soccer clubs seeking lawn mowers, as well as gyms looking only for gym equipment. Those types of applications are what we refer to as equipment-only applications. The total funding sought for those 635 applications is about €19 million. Logistically, we can group those applications and have them in the next couple of weeks. We hope to do that instead of those clubs having to wait with everybody else because the applications from those clubs are usually smaller. We will try to do that as soon as we can and try to facilitate as many clubs as possible as quickly as possible.

Regarding other grants and applications, departmental officials hope to write to everybody at the same time if there are issues. I refer to a document being missing, an inaccuracy and all of the things that would previously have invalidated an application. In those cases, the applicants will be written to and given a set time to submit the corrected document or documents. The officials will then reassess the applications. There is no more we can do if some remain invalid after that because of the logistics involved. Those applications that are valid will then be assessed with all of the others. As was stated, we hope the applications will then be eligible for allocation of funding in the autumn.

See this speech in context