Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport the backlog of payments now due in respect of grants awarded to sports clubs with a breakdown by project and Dáil constituency, for the years during which such grants and awards were made. [13698/11]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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There is no backlog of payments due from the Department to grantees. Payments are made promptly when grantees fulfil the terms and conditions of the sports capital programme.

For a variety of reasons it can take grantees several years to draw down allocations. Some of the more common reasons for this include delays in finalising the legalities required to protect the State's investment; delays in the planning process and-or construction; and difficulties in raising the required own funding. Where delays are excessive, or the project has ceased, the Department seeks to withdraw allocations. At 31 December 2010, there was €77.5 million in outstanding commitments to be drawn down by sports capital programme grantees. This represents approximately 1,100 grantees and compares to €190 million in outstanding commitments at the end of 2007.

The Department does not compile data on sports capital programme allocations on the basis of Dáil constituency but rather on a county basis. Details on allocations are available on the Department's website.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Department fulfil the commitments to all of the outstanding projects?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Yes, we will. We are currently in the process of writing to grantees and offering them any assistance they need. We do not want to remove the grant from anybody. They were awarded their grant in good faith. There may be legal or planning difficulties and the Department and my officials, particularly in Kerry, are very helpful and ready to offer support. They will support any organisation with a difficulty with the process. We do not want to withdraw the grants, but want to help organisations to draw them down. We are anxious to support all clubs and organisations that have been awarded a grant and they should feel free to contact me for whatever assistance they need.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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The grants must be drawn down by a certain date, but is there any flexibility in that regard? If the grants have not been drawn down or accessed by that date, will the organisations in question face problems when trying to draw them down?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In fairness, we do not withdraw grants from organisations, but give them every opportunity to draw them down. What happens sometimes is that we write to the organisations and they respond that they cannot withdraw the grant and wish to hand it back to the Department. The Department gives organisations every opportunity to draw down their grants. Over the past number of weeks we have written to organisations, because we have €77 million in outstanding grants. We want these grants to be paid out but, if not, we want to know from the clubs whether they can draw down the funding. If any organisation or club has been awarded a grant, we will give it any help or assistance it needs to draw down that funding. We are anxious the grants are drawn down. There is no delay in payment. Once the grantees produce the legal documents, we can pay, but we want them to come up with the necessary paperwork. These are all voluntary clubs and organisations and we want to support and help them. We are not using the big hammer, but want to help them.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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A question, please.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I want to emphasise that when grantees come looking for that funding, the Department must find the money and that money is allocated in a budget every year. It is not that if the money is not spent, it will be spent on another project. That money will be just there. When it is needed to be drawn down, it is drawn down. It is not that money is left over and can be spent again. We are reviewing the sports capital programme and we hope to have some news later this year.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State has me confused, but that might not be difficult on that aspect of it. Some €35 million was allocated in the Estimates for 2011. When does the Minister of State propose to bring a programme of funding to the market, as it were?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My officials are drawing up guidelines. There is a proposal in the pipeline to draw down a scheme. We are talking to different agencies and we hope that programme will be announced in the coming weeks. There are plenty of projects available to draw down any funding that is available. I am hoping to sign off on that in coming weeks.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I have every belief in the Minister of State. I know it is something he wants to get on with - spending money.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is quite right. I am very anxious.