Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the types of funding which are available to cycling clubs here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5154/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Under the national lottery-funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, funding is allocated to sporting organisations, including cycling clubs, and to voluntary and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The programme is advertised on an annual basis and provides funding towards the cost of providing sports facilities and fixed, permanently based sports equipment.

Applications for funding under the 2005 programme were invited through advertisements in the press on 5 and 6 December last. The closing date for receipt of applications was 4 February 2005. No application was received from the specific club to which the Deputy refers but it is open to that club to apply for funding under the programme in the future.

All applications under the 2005 programme which were received before the closing date are currently being evaluated against the programme's assessment criteria, which are outlined in the guidelines, terms and conditions of the programme. I intend to announce the grant allocations for the programme as soon as possible after the assessment process has been completed.

In addition, section 847a of the Taxes Consolidation Act provides for a scheme for tax relief for relevant donations to an approved sports body for the funding of sports capital projects. The scheme is applicable in cases involving the purchase of land and premises as well as construction and development work.

The Irish Sports Council, which is the statutory body responsible for the promotion and development of sport in Ireland, provides funding for the national governing bodies of sport, including Cycling Ireland, to assist in the development of cycling throughout the country.

The assistance provided by the council supports Cycling Ireland in the areas of administration, strategic planning and review, the national coaching development programme, sports equipment, international competition, training camps, the international carding scheme and in hosting international events. The council does not pay grants directly to individual clubs in any of the sports it funds.