Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 77 together.

The sports capital and equipment programme, SCEP, is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment. In excess of 13,000 projects have benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to more than €1 billion. The programme for Government commits to continuing the sports capital and equipment programme and to prioritising the investment in disadvantaged areas.

The 2020 round of the sports capital and equipment programme closed for applications on Monday, 1 March. By the closing date, 3,106 applications were submitted, seeking in excess of €200 million in funding. This is the highest number of applications ever received. The scoring system and assessment manual for the 2020 round has been finalised and is available at www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie. All applications are being assessed in accordance with this manual. Given the large number of applications received, this assessment process is likely to take a number of months to complete fully.

Of the 3,106 applications, 1,000 were seeking sports equipment and these applications are being assessed first. Approximately 75% of these have been assessed and the remaining ones should be finalised in the coming weeks. Allocations to these applications will be made once the assessment is complete. The remaining applications for capital works will be assessed immediately afterwards, with these allocations expected before the end of the year.

No decision on allocation amounts will be made until all applications have been assessed. Every effort will be made to fund as many worthwhile projects as possible while providing a sufficient level of grant to ensure the projects are viable. While a minimum of €40 million is available, the level of funding will be kept under review in the context of drawdown demands in the coming years for older sports capital and equipment programme grants and the review of the national development plan. As both Deputies know, that review is ongoing and will inform any future uplift in the sports capital programme.

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