Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of applications for grant aid received in his Department from sporting and community organisations and arts groups throughout County Kildare; the extent to which he intends to respond to such applications in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5488/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The national lottery-funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The programme is advertised on an annual basis.

The number of applications from County Kildare received under the programme in recent years is as follows: 2002 — 45, of which 30 were allocated €4.87 million in funding; 2003 — 44, of which 24 were allocated €3.17 million in funding; and 2004 — 44, of which 27 were allocated €3.36 million in funding.

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. Subject to final confirmation, a total of 43 applications were received from County Kildare. All applications 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.

The principal channel for State support for the arts is via the Arts Council, which is statutorily independent on how it disburses its funds.