Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the sports capital and equipment programme, SCEP, which is now renamed the community sport facility fund, and the large scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF. At the outset, I should note that the provision of recreational and sporting infrastructure in Dublin city is primarily a matter for Dublin City Council through its sports and play policies.

Earlier this year, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, announced funding of up to €120 million under the new 2024 round of the LSSIF, which closed for applications on 1 July 2024. On 25 September, the Minister and the Minister of State announced €230 million in grants for sports clubs and facilities under phase two of the community sport facility fund. Over a quarter of a billion euro has been allocated to community sports clubs and facilities in 2024 taking account of the earlier equipment-only allocation of €26 million with a total investment of €256 million. This will facilitate the largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland, including Dublin inner city.

Since 1998, over 13,000 projects have benefited from sports capital funding bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. We all agree that the SCEP has transformed the sporting landscape with improved sports facilities in every town and village in the country. The programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to targeting the investment in disadvantaged areas. As well as being open to individual sports clubs, applications are also accepted from local authorities. Dublin City Council has received significant grant funding for sports facilities projects, including sports pitches used by football clubs. Since 2000, a total of €35 million has been allocated to Dublin City Council under the SCEP.

The 2023 round of the SCEP closed for applications on 8 September 2023. A record number of 3,210 applications was received under the 2023 round, including ten applications from Dublin City Council. Any application for funding will be considered on its merits based on the agreed scoring system. The schemes favour projects that will increase participation and promote sharing of facilities among a number of sports and-or clubs. Priority is always given to applications from disadvantaged areas.

I emphasise that the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media’s sports capital programmes are demand-driven and do not support land or property acquisition. In relation to land or property acquisition, I would consider that question more appropriately addressed to the relevant local authority, including in relation to overall local planning and development policies as agreed by the local elected representatives - in this case, Dublin City Council.

As a Government, we are determined to increase the level of participation in sport and physical activity across the whole population in line with our national sports policy 2018 to 2027. In pursuit of that objective, the Government is committed to a "sport for all" approach aimed at ensuring that all persons have the opportunity to partake equally in sport and physical activity regardless of gender, age, socioeconomic status, disability, or membership of minority groups such as the LGBTI+ community, the Traveller community or other ethnic minorities.

The Dormant Accounts Fund sports programme is the primary funding stream deployed exclusively to promote increased sports participation amongst disadvantaged communities and people with a disability. This programme provides financial supports to a wide range of locally inspired community projects undertaken by local sports clubs, associations and other interested parties generally under the active guidance of the 29 local sports partnerships around the country.

Last October, a new European Social Fund Plus, ESF+, programme was launched with Sport Ireland entitled, Sport 4 Empowerment. This new programme aims to develop innovative social inclusion programmes through the use of sport and physical activity with a specific focus on individuals at risk of social exclusion and poverty.

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