Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 596: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the payment of a grant to a club (details supplied) in County Cork under the sports capital grant programme. [29466/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The grantee in question was allocated a number of grants under the Sports Capital Programme between 1996 and 2004. The grant allocations were subject to the terms and conditions of the Programme, which include the execution of a Deed of Covenant and Charge. A Deed provides, inter alia, for a refund of the grant in the event of the facility not continuing to be used for the purpose for which the grant was allocated. The Department's legal adviser, the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO), deals with the grantee's solicitor in executing this Deed. The CSSO wrote to the club's solicitors in relation to this matter on February 2nd 2009. The latest update from the CSSO, at close of business yesterday, is that no response has been received to that letter.

It is also the case that the Department issued a request for outstanding documentation to the contact person for the club on February 2nd 2009. No response has been received to that letter either.

As the Deed of Covenant and Charge is required in order to protect the taxpayers' investment in the project, the Department must await clarification from the CSSO that all legal formalities have been completed before it may consider providing formal approval for the project. The Department also awaits sight of the documentation requested in its letter of February 2nd 2009, which is likewise required before formal approval for the project can be confirmed.