Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will take Questions Nos. 11, 14, 17, 19, 35 and 40 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 throughout the country. More than 13,000 projects have benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to in excess of €1.15 billion. The programme for Government commits to continuing the programme and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas. The 2020 round of the programme closed for applications on 1 March 2021 and by the deadline, there were a record 3,106 applications. The final allocations were announced on 31 May last year and the total allocation of €166 million represents the highest ever made. Details of all allocations can be found on the Department's website.

The priority in recent months has been to advance the successful applications, which number almost 2,900, under the 2020 round to formal approval and grant drawdown stage. There is ongoing detailed engagement with all grantees. Following completion of the appeals process, the Department commenced a full review of the 2020 round. The review has been published and is available on the Department’s website. Among the recommendations contained in the published review is a continued prioritisation of projects that share facilities with other sports, which is really important, and further enhanced investment in areas of disadvantage. The review also identifies new areas for consideration including: an increase in the thresholds; rewarding projects that include adaptations for persons with disabilities; rewarding projects that incorporate climate action measures; expanding the programme to include applications for upgrades to swimming pools; and prioritising applications from areas witnessing significant population growth where there is a deficit of facilities. Now that the review has been published, I have asked my officials to start to draft the guide to making an application for the 2023 round. Once completed, that will be published as well.

My officials and I, along with the Minister, continue to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform regarding the launch of the next cycle. In this regard, the Minister and I have written to our colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, seeking formal sanction to launch the new round of the SCEP as soon as possible. Once this sanction is received and the new guide to making an application is finalised, I will announce the exact date on which the programme will be open for applications.

Regarding the funding available for individual projects, clearly the level of demand will be a key determinant but every effort will be made to fund as many worthwhile projects as possible while providing sufficient grant funding to ensure the projects are viable. Allocations under the SCEP, and the timeframe to complete the allocation process, will be dependent on the volume of applications received. It is a very successful programme that we are very keen to continue. There is a high level of engagement between ourselves, both Ministers and our officials, with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. We are hoping for this Department to essentially approve the opening up of the round as soon as possible. There are huge benefits to this for sports facilities right around the country. We want to make sure the areas that need facilities get them. As the Deputy has mentioned previously, there are committees within areas that may not have the wherewithal to put together applications and we want to make sure they get the best help possible so that they can apply. Another point I have made is that we cannot give funding to organisations that have different terms and conditions for men and women as they use the facilities. Unfortunately, that exists in this country but we will not funding them. That is the simple answer on that. That will be a wake-up call for some.

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