Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his Department's policy with regard to potential financial support for community based socially enhancing arts, sport or tourism related projects; the extent of likely financial assistance available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15429/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The national lottery funded sports capital programme administered by my Department, is the major source of funding available for the provision of sporting facilities for sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The programme is demand led and only projects with a clearly defined sporting aspect are considered eligible. The types of projects funded include indoor sports halls, community sport facilities and sports playing surfaces, changing rooms and shower facilities available for the usage of individual clubs and community organisations.

Under the programme, every effort is made to achieve a balanced geographical spread of funds to benefit all types of eligible projects in all categories, having regard to the existing range of facilities in each county, while also affording priority to projects in disadvantaged areas aimed at increasing participation, particularly for young people.

The programme is advertised on an annual basis and the 2005 applications 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. At this point, I could not say how many allocations will be made. The amount allocated under the programme since 1998 is €331.5 million to more than 4,250 projects.

My Department also administers the local authority swimming pool programme, which provides grant aid towards the capital cost of refurbishing existing swimming pools or for the provision of new pools. The maximum grant available is €3.8 million subject to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of the project or, in the case of projects located in disadvantaged areas, 90% of the eligible cost.

The closing date for receipt of applications under the current programme was 31 July 2000. Since then, 55 projects have or are being dealt with. Twenty-five projects have been allocated grant aid, 15 of which have been completed and ten are at construction stage. Thirty other applications are at various stages in the process, six are at tender stage, 15 are at contract documents stage and nine are at preliminary report stage.

Projects are considered on a case by case basis and consideration is given to such issues as to whether the area is classified as disadvantaged, the number and geographical spread of projects within and between counties, the viability of the project, particularly in relation to operational and maintenance issues, overall funding package for the project, technical details and the Department's annual estimates provision for the programme. The budget provision in my Department's Vote for the programme in 2005 is €32 million.

My Department also operates the ACCESS scheme which provides funding for the capital development of arts and cultural facilities, galleries, museums, etc., around the country. In August 2001, €45.71 million was allocated to 44 successful projects. Taking into account matching funding being provided by project promoters, the ACCESS scheme will result in almost €58.4 million going into arts capital infrastructure. As completion of these projects, is at differing stages, depending on local arrangements, procurement of matching funds and necessary legal issues being put in place it is not possible to state the number of groups which will benefit under the scheme in 2005.

My Department does not provide any direct funding to projects in the tourism sector.