Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I agree. Clare hurling is doing well - I say that as a Kilkenny man - without a centre of excellence. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Ministers, Deputies Catherine Martin and Byrne. I take on board the points the Senator made.

The establishment of the LSSIF was provided for under the national sports policy 2018 to 2027. The aim of the fund is to provide support to sports facilities where the Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount available under the sports capital and equipment programme, now renamed the community sports facilities fund. The first allocations under the LSSIF were announced in January 2020, with €86.4 million awarded to 33 different projects across the country. It is a substantial fund.

Additional funding of €37.6 million was allocated to 27 of these projects in December 2023, bringing the total awarded to date to LSSIF-funded projects to €124 million. Since June 2023, a number of LSSIF-funded projects have opened to the public. These include: the linear walkway and playing fields project in Meath; phase 1 of the Walsh Park redevelopment in Waterford; the Limerick Regional Athletics Hub; the Dundalk leisure centre facilities refurbishment project; and the Munster Technological University athletics track in Cork.

A number of other LSSIF projects are due to be completed or significantly progressed this year. Examples include the Connacht Rugby project and the redevelopment of St. Conleth’s Park in Newbridge, County Kildare. In April, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media published a review of the first round of the LSSIF, along with a new policy requirement on implementing similar access for men and women to sports facilities, funded under the LSSIF. Under similar access requirements, recipients of LSSIF funding must accommodate the needs of women and men, on a similar basis, with respect to accessing the facilities that have been allocated public funding. Any organisation that is in receipt of LSSIF funding must have a similar access policy in place and put work towards publishing it as soon as possible.

Earlier this year, the Ministers, Deputies Martin and Byrne, confirmed that up to €120 million under a new round of LSSIF funding is available. The new LSSIF round closed for applications on 1 July last. As the Senator will be aware, an application in respect of the development of the Clare GAA centre of excellence at Catherlohan was one of the applications received. The assessment of applications is well advanced and it is hoped to announce allocations under the latest round of funding under the LSSIF in the coming weeks.

In addition to the LSSIF, the community sports facilities fund, formerly the sports capital and equipment programme, has been a main source of capital funding for many years. On 25 September, the Ministers, Deputies Martin and Byrne, announced €230 million in grants for sports clubs and facilities. Over €250 million has been allocated to community sports clubs and facilities in 2024, taking account of the earlier equipment only allocation of €26 million, with a total investment of more than €256 million. This will facilitate the largest ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland. One of the allocations confirmed last month was €478,668 towards the development of full-size GAA all-weather pitch at the centre of excellence. Again, I wish Clare GAA all the best with this project.

Overall, Gaelic games will benefit from the investment allocations to GAA clubs and organisations totalling €100 million for 2024. This follows allocations for Gaelic games under the 2020 round of over €65 million, bringing the total investment to €265 million from this fund over four years. I note the point the Senator made regarding the viability of projects and will take it back to both Ministers.