Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will give consideration to allocating special funding to community groups interested in providing indoor recreational facilities in areas where no such youth facilities exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25910/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he or his Department has had discussions with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform with a view to the provision of funding for the provision of indoor recreational facilities in areas deemed to be socially disadvantaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25911/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together.

Under the sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, grants are allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country for the provision of sports facilities, including indoor sports facilities. One of the stated aims and objectives of the sports capital programme is to prioritise the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of facilities. Since 2002, it was decided that only those areas that have been designated by Government for special support through the schemes administered by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, i.e. RAPID, Local Drugs Task Force and CLAR areas should be treated as disadvantaged under the programme.

Projects identified as being located in areas designated as disadvantaged are targeted and prioritised in a number of ways during the assessment of applications. They are permitted to have a lower level of minimum own funding available (20% as against the normal 30%) towards their project, and extra marks are also awarded to such projects during the assessment process under the socio-economic disadvantage criterion.

Successful projects under the sports capital programme in CLAR and RAPID areas may qualify to receive additional top-up funding, payable by the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, in addition to their sports capital allocation. In the case of projects located in CLAR areas, this top-up funding can be up to 20% of the sports capital grant amount; in the case of projects located in RAPID areas which are also endorsed by their local Area Implementation Team, the top-up funding can be up to 30%.

The 2007 sports capital programme was advertised in the national press in October 2006. The closing date for receipt of completed applications was 24th November 2006. Over 1,530 applications were received for the programme and provisional allocations totalling €85 million were made to 935 projects on 5th April last. For the Deputy's information, grants totalling €38,679,550 were allocated to 455 projects in disadvantaged areas under the 2007 sports capital programme. To date, my colleague the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has announced top-ups for qualifying grantees of €6,412,510.

While no date has been set for the 2008 Programme, advertisements announcing the next round of the Programme will be placed in the national press and application forms will be available at that stage. Applicants who feel that they have a project that meet the Guidelines, Terms and Conditions of the programme are free to apply at that stage. I can confirm that no discussions have been held with the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform in regard to the issue mentioned by the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will make funding available to local communities involved in the provision of youth services and facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25912/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans to provide funding for areas suffering from social deprivation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25913/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide funding for local groups involved in the provision of youth facilities particularly in areas experiencing anti-social behaviour due to a lack of indoor facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25914/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 105, inclusive, together.

Under the sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, grants are allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country for the provision of sports facilities. One of the stated aims and objectives of the programme is to prioritise the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of facilities. Areas that have been designated by Government for special support through the schemes administered by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, i.e. RAPID, Local Drugs Task Force and CLAR areas are treated as disadvantaged under the programme.

Projects identified as being located in areas designated as disadvantaged are targeted and prioritised in a number of ways during the assessment of applications. They are permitted to have a lower level of minimum own funding available (20% as against the normal 30%) towards their project, and extra marks are also awarded to such projects during the assessment process under the socio-economic disadvantage criterion. Successful projects under the sports capital programme in CLAR and RAPID areas may qualify to receive additional top-up funding, payable by the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, in addition to their sports capital allocation. In the case of projects located in CLAR areas, this top-up funding can be up to 20% of the sports capital grant amount; in the case of projects located in RAPID areas which are also endorsed by their local Area Implementation Team, the top-up funding can be up to 30%.

The 2007 sports capital programme was advertised in the national press in October 2006. The closing date for receipt of completed applications was 24th November 2006. Over 1,530 applications were received for the programme and provisional allocations totalling €85 million were made to 935 projects on 5th April last. Grants totalling €38,679,550 were allocated to 455 projects in disadvantaged areas under the 2007 sports capital programme. To date, my colleague the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has announced top-ups for qualifying grantees of €6,412,510.

While no date has yet been decided for the invitation of applications for the 2008 programme advertisements announcing the next round of the programme will be placed in the national press and application forms will be available at that stage. Applicants who feel that they have a project that meet the Guidelines, Terms and Conditions of the programme are free to apply at that stage.

Under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, also administered by my Department, funding is provided to Local Authorities for the construction of new pools or the refurbishment of existing ones. It is a matter for Local Authorities to decide the location of the pools. In addition the Programme allows third parties and community groups to join with Local Authorities in making applications under the Programme. My Department's ACCESS scheme provides capital grants for arts and culture infrastructure around the country, including community based initiatives. Allocations of over €900,000 in total have been made to eight community based projects under the current ACCESS II scheme 2007 –2009.