Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if funding will be provided to upgrade the sports hall floor in a school (details supplied) in County Mayo. [9602/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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In my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 2702 on 26 January 2006 the Deputy was advised of the position regarding the project in question. There has been no change in the position since then. 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.

Schools may only apply for funding jointly with local sports clubs or community groups and must: show a clear need for the proposed sports facility in the area as formally agreed with other local groups and-or the local authority; show how the proposed facility will meet that need; and show that the local community will have significant access to the proposed facility when it is not being used by the school or college. In this regard, significant access is a requirement for a minimum of at least 30 hours a week throughout the year. Applications from primary and post-primary schools and colleges on their own will not be considered under the programme.

Applications for funding under the 2006 programme were invited through advertisements in the press on 27 and 28 November last. The closing date for receipt of applications was 20 January 2006. All applications received before the deadline, including one from the organisation in question, will be evaluated against the programme's requirements and 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.