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

A minimum of €40 million is available but there should be scope to make a higher allocation in the context of the lower than expected drawdown of existing grants and the possibility of extra funding following the review of the national development plan. There is scope for it and there will be ongoing engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Regarding the published criteria, key components are: the likelihood of increasing participation in sport, as people mentioned; sharing of facilities; level of socioeconomic disadvantage; technical merits of the project application; and the level of own funding available. We also have a particular focus on greater female participation, people with disabilities, disadvantaged areas, and minority groups, as well as focusing on areas that we have identified that have a sporting deficit so that they can have an opportunity. The criteria are all set out and address many of the key aims under the sport policy.

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