Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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102. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline any engagement there has been between his Department, the Louth county board of the GAA and GAA headquarters about the funding of the new GAA stadium in Dundalk, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22861/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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This has been a really great time for Louth football. We had the Leinster final win by the under 20s against Meath, the minors won last night against Dublin and are now through to their Leinster final and, hopefully, an historic injustice will be righted on Sunday against Meath. I would say there is much support around the House on this. It is vital that the GAA stadium in Dundalk is delivered upon. While there has been good news from Croke Park, it is about ensuring the Government is playing its part in it.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Ó Murchú. I know of the great excitement in the county this week in the run-up to the Leinster final this weekend. It has been added to by the under-age success, which has been wonderful to see and is a great reflection on the great work done by Louth GAA at all levels. I look forward to seeing the game this weekend. If it is half as dramatic as the previous one, I am sure it will grip the entire country.

With regard to Deputy Ó Murchú's query on the large-scale sports infrastructure fund application made by Louth GAA last year for a new stadium in Dundalk, he knows the background to this with regard to the fact there was no funding in this particular round. I welcome and note the recent announcement by Louth GAA that it has agreed a funding package to commence development of a new stadium in Dundalk. The large-scale sports infrastructure fund application was for the second part, or phase 2, of the stadium, with phase 1 commencing with the potential for a 4,000-seater stand. We had approximately €680 million of applications to the large-scale infrastructure fund last year, with €167 million awarded to 37 projects throughout the country. We are now assessing whether additional funding can become available and how a reserve list could potentially operate for those who were not successful in getting funding last year, and Louth GAA will be considered in this context. It is certainly welcome to see the recent announcement on Louth GAA being able to commence and having the finances to develop the new stadium, which I know will be of great benefit to it. I wish Louth GAA well with it and I look forward to engaging further with it on its plans and its future potential.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister of State might have an interest in a particular game at the weekend, I would imagine. We will all be glued on Saturday to the match between Armagh and Donegal. It should make for a very good weekend of football. I commend the work done by Louth GAA and the teams under Fergal Reel, Ger Brennan and Johnny Clerkin. I wish them the absolute best of luck and we all hope for a great game of football. From a Louth point of view, death or victory is what we require.

We all welcome the engagement and the package agreed for the first phase of development of the Louth GAA stadium in Dundalk. It is €24 million. I am aware that Louth GAA is on the reserve list for the scheme and I would like to think that decent consideration would be given to this. Does the Minister of State have any further update on the timeline and how projects on the reserve list, such as Louth GAA, could get further?

Even beyond that, what timeline are we looking at for the reopening of LSSIF into the future? The idea is to make sure that we are talking about projects that are ready for the road, that are fit to be built straightaway and that there are no delays with.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The LSSIF was first announced with a funding round in 2019. It is a relatively new fund in that regard, with the objective of trying to ensure that the Government can work to support the development of large-scale sporting facilities across the country.

So far, we have had two rounds, in 2019 and 2024. Between both of those, €297 million invested has been invested, which is making a significant impact on the development of really good facilities across the country. We had 96 applications in the most recent round, 35 of which benefited from funding. The demand was much higher than the level of funding.

The potential for additional funding is something we have to consider. That is very much subject to the budgetary capacity for that and, alongside that, the capacity for a reserve list as well for those applicants not successful previously.

I know the benefit it would be to County Louth. It is great to see the stadium progressing and Louth GAA moving forward with it. Certainly, we will consider it in the context of future funding opportunities as well in phase 2.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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It is necessary that LSSIF funding would follow through for the stadium in Dundalk. My understanding was Louth GAA and Drogheda United were on that reserve list. The argument that was made was shovel-ready projects would get first dibs but given what is happening, particularly with Louth stadium, the first phase of which will be under way, we have to consider additional funding. We have to make sure that happens.

I want to find out whether my understanding is the case. Are we talking about the LSSIF being opened more regularly, that is, on a two- or three-year basis, and that we know that is happening? We know the huge piece of work that needs to be done not only with Drogheda United but, hopefully, with an opening for Dundalk FC, which also needs to have huge works done at Oriel Park.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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It will be very much dependent on funding. That is something on which we will have engagement in the budgetary process to see what the potential is.

The opening and announcement of new funding under the sports capital grant and the regional grants under the sports capital facilities fund have generally been every two years. I expect in the first part of next year to open up the sports facilities fund.

On the large-scale funding, there have only been two rounds so far, in 2019 and 2014. The funding requirement for that is heavy. It will certainly be our objective to try to do it within a shorter timeframe in terms of a new round but that will be entirely dependent on the budget as well.

The focus for now is making sure that those who receive funding move forward and in the short term, assessing the potential for additional funding or, in relation to those that were not successful in the most recent round, additional capacity.