Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 316: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding sports capital funding; if there will be capital funding in 2009; the future plans for this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40038/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Sports Capital Programme, which is administered by my Department, and part-funded from the proceeds of the National Lottery, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. Since 1998, over €725 million has been allocated to over 7,400 projects across the country. No new applications for funding have been sought in 2009 and no decision has been made on the timing of the next round of the programme. However, €56 million has been provided in my Department's Vote in the 2009 Estimates to cover payments to be made from the C1 subhead, out of which grants are paid for the provision of sports and recreation facilities. Work on the national sports facilities strategy, which will provide an improved policy platform for any future rounds of the programme, is at an advanced stage of preparation in my Department. It is my intention to publish the strategy once it has been completed and considered by the Government.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 317: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of outstanding grants still not drawn down over the past five years for the capital sports grants; the number on a county basis; the length of time on the list; his plans to assist clubs that have not drawn down assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40045/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The following table sets out the value of outstanding Sports Capital Programme grants as at the start of 2009 for each of the past five years:

The information sought by the Deputy on the number of outstanding sports capital grants on a county basis for the past five years cannot be compiled within the time available. However, it will be forwarded to the Deputy in due course. For a variety of reasons it can take grantees several years to draw down allocations. Some of the more common reasons for this include delays in finalising the legalities required to protect the State's investment, delays in the planning process and construction and difficulties in raising the required own funding. While my Department seeks to give grantees every opportunity to draw down allocation, where delays are excessive, or the project has ceased, my Department seeks to withdraw allocations. This is a labour intensive and time consuming process, although in 2008 it was possible to withdraw €6.6 million of previous years'' allocations. Some €56 million has been provided in my Department's vote in the 2009 Estimates to cover payments to be made from the C1 subhead, out of which grants are paid for the provision of sports and recreation facilities. All of this money must be spent before the end of the year. The corresponding figure for 2008 was €58 million. In 2009, it has been business as usual for grantees allocated funding under previous rounds of the programme. By close of business on Friday, 6 November last, over 1,360 payments had been approved with a total value of over €50 million. It is the intention to meet existing commitments made to grantees under the programme, subject to their compliance with the relevant criteria required for the payment.