Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 473: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the grants and other financial assistance awarded by his Department in each of the past three years to men's organisations and groups or organisations providing services primarily for men including the name of the organisation or group; the amount paid; and the purpose for which it was paid. [10646/05]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 474: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the grants and other financial assistance awarded by his Department in each of the past three years to women's organisations and groups or organisations providing services primarily for women including the name of the organisation or group; the amount paid; and the purpose for which it was paid. [10647/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 473 and 474 together.

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 demand led and allocation of funding is based on a set of criteria aimed at the provision of sport and recreation facilities, with particular emphasis on disadvantaged areas, which must be made available to the community. While allocation of funding is not made on basis of gender, the guidelines, terms and conditions of the programme stipulate that applicants must submit details of their rules and procedures as evidence of non-discrimination. This emphasis on ensuring equality of treatment is reflected in the fact that grants allocated under the scheme, while meeting any gender-specific needs, are made available only to organisations whose membership is open to both sexes.

The local authority swimming pool programme provides capital funding to local authorities for the building or refurbishment of public swimming pools. Funding is not allocated on the basis of gender.

The ACCESS scheme, which is also administered by my Department, provides funding for the capital development of arts and cultural facilities around the country and is not allocated on basis of gender. A primary focus is to promote community-based initiatives to bring about a greater participation in the arts in general. In light of the criteria for these schemes statistics relating to allocation of funding are not maintained on a gender basis.