Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his Department's policy in regard to the promotion of sporting and recreational community projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15430/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The policy objective of this Government for Irish sport is to promote and encourage an active sports sector with increased participation in sport, especially by young people in areas of disadvantage and to support the provision of good quality, sustainable facilities and opportunities for people to play an active role in sport. To contribute to a healthier lifestyle, it is vital that people of all ages and from all backgrounds have equal opportunities to engage in sporting activity and are encouraged to participate at a level that suits their needs.

My Department's Statement of Strategy 2003-2005, identifies the key areas to be addressed. These include the creation of expanded opportunities to participate in sport through facilitating the provision of sporting facilities at local, regional and national level with a particular emphasis on providing facilities for young people in disadvantaged areas.

The national lottery-funded sports capital programme is administered by my Department and advertised on an annual basis, provides funding towards the provision of sport and recreational facilities to voluntary, sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. This and the previous Government have, through the programme, provided unprecedented levels of funding for sport and its infrastructure by allocating €331.55 million to 4,273 projects between 1998 and 2004. This includes funding in the four year period 2001-2004 of over €121 million allocated to 1,266 projects located in areas designated as disadvantaged by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

The 1,362 applications received under the 2005 sports capital programme before the deadline of 4 February last are currently being evaluated against the programme's assessment criteria, which are outlined in its guidelines, terms and conditions document. I intend to announce the 2005 grant allocations as soon as possible after the assessment process has been completed.

The local authority swimming pool programme, which is also administered by my Department, provides grant assistance to local authorities for the construction of public swimming pools. This grant scheme has or is assisting 55 local authority-led pool projects throughout the country at the present time and 25 have either been completed or are currently under construction.

The projects funded through these two programmes form the backbone of sporting infrastructure in Ireland and provide the means for greater public participation in sporting activities. Under the sports capital programme in particular, such projects include the provision and development of facilities such as natural playing surfaces, synthetic and all-weather playing surfaces, changing facilities, floodlighting, indoor sports halls, and a vast range of sports equipment.

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. Approved sports status can be awarded by my Department for suitable capital projects, allowing for tax relief to be claimed by a club on donations towards the project that exceed the minimum qualifying threshold of €250 per annum. Full details of the tax relief scheme are available on my Department's website at www.dast.gov.ie.