Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 399: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his proposals to directly assist from the proceeds of the national lottery or otherwise various voluntary and community groups and organisations involved in the provision of indoor or outdoor sporting and recreational facilities, including track and field events throughout County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15427/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 400: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his proposals to directly assist from the proceeds of the national lottery or otherwise various voluntary and community groups and organisations involved in the provision of indoor or outdoor sporting and recreational facilities, including track and field events throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15428/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 401: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of organisations throughout County Kildare which have to date in 2006 made applications to his Department for grant aid from the proceeds of the national lottery; when he expects to be in a position to respond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15429/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 399 to 401, inclusive, together.

The national lottery-funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, is the primary means of providing capital funding for sports facilities, including those relating to track and field. Under the programme, funding is available to sports clubs, voluntary and community organisations and, in certain circumstances, schools and local authorities. The programme is advertised on an annual basis. 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 33 received from organisations in County Kildare, 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 under the programme as soon as possible after the assessment process has been completed.

Since 1998 a total of €395 million in sports capital funding has been allocated to 4,923 projects throughout the country providing for the needs of organisations and participants in the areas of physical recreation, training, coaching and competition at all levels of sport in Ireland. Of this total, €23.43 million has been allocated in 218 grant allocations to projects in County Kildare. A total of €67.72 million has been provided in the 2006 Estimates for the provision of national lottery-funded sport and physical recreational facilities.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 402: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will consider an application for grant aid from the proceeds of the national lottery from the Timahoe Community Facility Development Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15430/06]

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.

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 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.

An application for funding under the 2006 programme was not received from the organisation in question. It is my intention to announce details of the 2007 sports capital programme later in the year and at that stage it will be open to the organisation in question to apply for a grant.