John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will review the sports capital grants programme, which operated on an annual basis until 2009; when a decision will be made on its future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22958/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The sports capital programme, which is part-funded from the proceeds of the National Lottery and administered by my Department, is the primary vehicle for Government support for the provision of sports facilities and equipment. Since 1998, the Government has invested over €725 million in more than 7,400 separate sporting projects. This investment has transformed the Irish sporting landscape, with improved facilities in virtually every village, town and city. The facilities funded range from basic sports facilities and new equipment for the smallest clubs to regional integrated multi-sport centres and national centres of sporting excellence.

This investment is evidence of the importance the Government places on sport. Sports facilities that are well planned, built and managed can act as focal points for a community and allow more people to get involved in healthy activities. Participation in sport is important for many reasons. For individuals, participation has health benefits, builds confidence and gives people a sense of their own worth. For society as a whole, sport can reduce anti-social behaviour, while sporting success has the ability to lift the spirits of whole counties and even the whole country.

Two expenditure reviews of the sports capital programme have been carried out to date; the first covered the period 1988 to 1998, while the second covered the period 1999 to 2002. Work on the national sports facilities strategy, which will provide an improved policy platform for any future rounds of the programme, is at an advanced stage of preparation in my Department. It is my intention to publish the strategy once it has been completed and considered by the Government.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I am aware that a review of the sports capital programme has been undertaken. My question is whether the Minister will indicate a timeframe within which the suspension of new applications under the programme will be reversed. The Minister stated in the Dáil in January, in response to a parliamentary question I tabled, that no new applications would be accepted in 2009. He referred to budgetary constraints and said it was time to pause and consider how best to secure value for money and avoid duplication of services in various locations. I accept that this must be done.

However, Members on all sides of the House are in agreement that the sports capital grants represented a successful deployment of resources in the last ten or 15 years in communities throughout the State. I accept that we must be careful to ensure there is value for money in the allocation of this funding but it is my understanding that the sporting budget has been reduced to a greater degree than any other budget. The Minister will likely refer to the completion of the Lansdowne Road stadium as one of the reasons for this reduction. However, the reality is that sports capital grants have been withdrawn altogether. People working in communities on a voluntary basis cannot understand why this was done. Moreover, banks are refusing to give loans because lottery grants are no longer available. As I said, the provision for other services has been reduced, but sports capital grants have been removed entirely. There is much talk about the Government and politicians not connecting with the people. The public wants to know whether this funding will be reinstated in 2010, 2011 or at some later stage.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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An allocation of €56 million has been made to the sports capital programme this year, which is similar to the provision for last year. What is different this year is that a new applications round has not been opened up. However, some 800 projects have been approved for funding this year, representing a very substantial allocation for individual projects throughout the State. Like all Members, I am keen that a new round be opened in the near future. The reviews of the sports capital programme and the findings of the national sports facilities strategy will inform our future approach in this area.

One of the key issues involved is to determine the regional balance of services and facilities, that is, whether there is an over-provision in one region and an under-provision in another, in a broad rather than a micro sense. The exercise undertaken as part of the national sports facilities strategy will provide a picture of facilities in the various sporting codes, including, soccer, GAA, boxing, rugby and so on, at regional and club level. That review is close to completion and will inform our approach in terms of the criteria for accessing funding into the future.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister referred to the €56 million in funding available for projects approved before this year. In a previous reply he mentioned that some clubs, organisations and committees are in difficulty and will be unable to draw down funding allocated to them because they are unable to secure supporting finance from banks. If some of this allocated funding is not drawn down, might new applications be accepted in order to avail of it?

The Minister has stated that for every €1 allocated in the sports capital programme, €3 is generated locally. Such funding helps to provide employment at local level. Moreover, a club or organisation that would have received €50,000 two years ago would get much more work down now for the same amount. I ask the Minister, on behalf of the sporting clubs and organisations, to offer some hope that the grants will be reinstated sooner rather than later so that they can plan ahead for the facilities they wish to provide for young people in this State.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I can offer the Deputy all the hope he requires. These grants have not been done away with. We have not opened another applications round this year, but money is available to deal with the programmes that are already approved. I am confident that all the money allocated for this year will be drawn down in full, because the overhang is greater than the current allocation. Therefore, there is no possibility that any of that allocation will be left over. I recognise there is an anxiety and desire on all sides of the House to ensure this programme continues into the future. My colleagues have spoken to me regularly about the issue. I am keen to have a new programme in place as soon as possible. I hope the strategic framework we will shortly have in place will indicate how best that can be done.