Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter. I also thank the Minister of State with responsibility for sport for coming before the House to take it. I congratulate him on his county's good win last Sunday. Unfortunately, it was against my county. I hope we will put matters right next year.

In the past the sports capital programme provided essential funding to sporting clubs and organisations throughout the country. I have seen evidence of this at my local GAA club in Carnmore, which has developed three new playing pitches and a hurling wall and which has considerably improved and upgraded facilities as a result of the provision of national lottery funding. Following these development works there has been much better participation in sport by people of all ages in the community.

Involvement in sport has far-reaching and positive consequences for society as a whole. It is an important social outlet which improves physical and mental health. It also encourages personal development, assists in addressing the growing problem of obesity in this country and, in the context of rising unemployment, provides important structures to help prevent social exclusion, particularly among young people. The priority given to funding clubs in areas of social disadvantage has brought about even greater benefits in the context of a reduction in antisocial behaviour and preventing young people from drifting into a life of crime and drug addiction. In many of the areas, there was little prospect of clubs being in a position to raise sufficient funds by acting alone. Assistance from the national lottery programme was vital to these clubs.

Sport has a remarkable ability to make us all feel good. In the current economic climate, that is extremely important. We witnessed the benefits of this recently when Rory McIlroy won the US Open. In many instances, and particularly in rural areas, local sports clubs foster a sense of identity and are closely intertwined with entire communities.

Since the introduction of the sports capital programme, over 7,400 projects have benefited from funding of approximately €738 million. This has helped to transform clubs, from the smallest to the largest, through the provision of improved facilities. The funding has directly and indirectly benefited every household in Ireland and its value cannot be underestimated.

Since the sports capital programme closed in 2008, the cost of building work, materials and labour have been substantially reduced. I am of the view that there could be no better time than now to reopen the programme. While I acknowledge that we are still in difficult economic times, if the programme could be reopened it could provide a stimulus to local economies. In addition, it would offer much better value for money than was the case in the past. The advantages for reopening the programme for social, commercial and economic reasons are numerous. For example, there would be a reduction in unemployment because tradesmen who are currently without a job could find work in their localities. Sales of materials would provide a boost to the local economy and improved facilities would result in increased participation in sport and social interaction within our communities.

Funding larger scale projects would also provide a boost to the tourism industry, as visitors from Europe travel to Ireland to support their local teams in matches and to partake in the various sports for which Ireland is renowned. Connacht, our area, has qualified for the rugby Heineken Cup and will benefit in that regard. Clarinbridge, a local club which has received significant lottery funding also won the all-Ireland this year.

During the 12 years the sports capital programme has been in operation, sporting clubs have been able to complete capital projects they might not otherwise have had the resources to undertake. These same clubs cannot raise funds locally for any further development necessary to build on the vital role sport plays in our society. Will the Minister of State outline where the funds which are being raised through the national lottery, which were previously allocated to the sports capital programme, will now be allocated? I call on the Minister of State to give a commitment that the scheme will be reintroduced in 2011.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Grealish for raising this issue. He is correct, there is one item missing from Mayo, the Sam Maguire Cup, but we have the Taoiseach and the Minister with responsibility for sport and we are working on that.

Under the sports capital programme, funding is allocated to sporting and to voluntary and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. Since 1998, the Department has allocated almost €740 million in more than 7,400 separate allocations. This funding has transformed the level of sports facilities throughout the country. Some €33 million has been provided in the Department's Vote for 2011 to meet payments in respect of projects which have been allocated funding under the sports capital programme, and the subhead is part-funded from the proceeds of the national lottery.

While there has been no new round of the programme advertised since 2008, it is business as usual for grantees previously allocated funding, and the Department continues to make payments to such grantees. Over 1,000 payments were made last year to projects which were being developed across the country. Such payments allow clubs to drain pitches, erect floodlighting, buy non-personal sports equipment, build changing rooms and sports halls and generally increase the opportunities for people to engage in sports at all levels.

In allocating this funding, special targeting and priority is given to projects in RAPID, CLÁR and local drug task force areas. These projects are permitted to have a lower level of minimum own funding available, 20% for projects in CLÁR areas and 10% for RAPID and local drug task force areas, in comparison with the normal 30% towards their project. They may also receive extra marks during the assessment process. In the most recent round of the sports capital programme in 2008, successful projects under the programme in RAPID areas also qualified for additional top-up funding of up to 30% of their sports capital programme allocation, from the then Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Through these measures, the sports capital programme has invested over €150 million in projects in designated disadvantaged areas. In turn, top-up arrangements in RAPID and CLÁR areas have allowed further allocations of more than €22 million to be made.

A draft five year national sports facilities strategy was completed last July in the Department. It is currently being updated to take account of developments since then and should be submitted shortly to me for consideration. The aim of the strategy is to provide high-level policy direction for future investment and grant assistance at national, regional and local level and to ensure a co-ordinated approach across the various agencies and Departments involved in supporting the provision of sport and recreational facilities.

The programme for Government provides that "In future sports funding should prioritise projects which further greater participation in sport on a local and national level". This will be a central focus of any new round of the programme. I am looking at the options that may be open to me with regard to a new programme within the present financial constraints but no decision has been made yet on the timing of the next round of the sports capital programme.