Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator O'Mahony for raising this issue, which I know is one in which he has a particular interest.

The sports capital programme, SCP, is the Government’s primary vehicle to support the development of sports facilities and the purchase of sports equipment. The most recent rounds of the programme were in 2012, 2014 and 2015. So far this year, over €22.8 million has been paid out to 680 organisations.

The sports capital programme aims to foster an integrated and planned approach to developing sports and physical recreation facilities throughout the country. More than 10,000 projects have benefitted from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing total allocations since that time to over €900 million. The programme has transformed the sporting landscape of Ireland with improvements in the quality and quantity of sporting facilities in virtually every village, town and city in the country. The facilities that have been funded range from the smallest clubs to national centres of sporting excellence. The Government is committed to ensuring that this progress continues. We recognise that sport plays a hugely positive part in Irish society. Its benefits are numerous, from health benefits to the social side of sports both in the participative and volunteering spheres to the huge contribution sport makes to the Irish economy.

Following the conclusion of the 2017 Estimates discussions, a total of €52 million has been provided for sports capital projects next year. This will meet all existing commitments under previous rounds of the sports capital and local authority swimming pool programme commitments, to the Páirc Uí Chaoimh redevelopment project in Cork, the Kerry Sports Academy at IT Tralee and existing commitments relating to the development of the national sports campus.

There will also be sufficient funding for a new round of the sports capital programme to be opened for applications, which is the most important point in so far as Senator O'Mahony and I are concerned. In this regard, I have previously stated that the new round will be open for applications soon and this remains the position. Prior to inviting applications, I want to ensure that a number of improvements are introduced to the application process. In this regard, the application form will be significantly shortened and a number of additional supports will be available for clubs to complete the application process.

The new programme will include a revised online portal which will make the process more user-friendly. Other supports will include a comprehensive written guide for applicants as well as an online video guide. Staff in the relevant section of my Department will also be available to assist clubs by phone and e-mail and it is also planned to hold regional seminars to assist clubs who are preparing their applications. It is hoped that these measures will greatly assist in reducing the level of invalid applications which are submitted to the Department. As previously stated, the new round will be open for applications soon and obviously clubs will have to be given a number of weeks to complete the application process. Based on previous rounds of the programme, the assessment process takes a number of months to complete so I expect that actual grant allocations will be made during summer 2017. I will be announcing more comprehensive details of the new round shortly, including all of the relevant deadline dates.