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

The national sports policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF. The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and national governing bodies of sport. All applications were assessed in accordance with the published evaluation procedures and guidelines and the first allocations were announced in January 2020. Thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals. Details of all allocations, a number of which are in Galway, are on the Department's website.

The first LSSIF allocations were announced just prior to the arrival of the Covid pandemic. The pandemic obviously gave rise to financial challenges for all grantees with many of them having to reprioritise their own expenditure plans due to reductions in their income streams. In more recent times, the high level of construction inflation has also presented considerable challenges for grantees.

In light of these issues, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects allocated grants and meetings with all grantees have taken place. It is encouraging that, based on these discussions with grantees, a majority of the 33 projects should be in a position to draw down funding in the next 12 months. While this progress is very welcome, these discussions also confirmed that some projects in receipt of LSSIF grants may not proceed in the short to medium term.

Following engagement with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and in recognition of the challenges I mentioned, officials in my Department wrote to all LSSIF grantees inviting them to apply for additional support by 4 August. To be considered for additional funding, grantees were advised that the key elements of the project should remain as set out in the original application and that priority would be given to those who provide evidence-based documentation to support their application. I hope to be in a position to announce further allocations to grantees in due course to ensure that all existing LSSIF projects are advanced.

With regard to a possible new round, I am determined to see continued investment in sports facilities in order to ensure we achieve our ambitious targets for sports participation. Accordingly, I will continue to engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on the funding required to underpin any new round.

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