John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport her proposals to support community based art and sport related proposals throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21772/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The schemes operated by my Department which support community based art and sport related proposals throughout the country are the ACCESS Programme, the Sports Capital Programme and the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. Under the ACCESS programme, my Department is responsible for the provision of capital monies for arts centres, galleries, theatres, etc. In 2008 and 2009 €52m was expended in respect of such facilities. A further €16m is allocated in 2010 for regional arts capital projects throughout the country. Many of these projects are already under construction and will be completed in 2010. A list of the successful ACCESS II projects and the amount of grant aid allocated to each project is available on my Department's website. No date has been set for the next round of allocations under the ACCESS programme.

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. Given the current budgetary situation and the high level of outstanding commitments it was considered prudent to pause prior to announcing the next round of the Programme and no date has been set for the next round of the Programme. Under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme grant aid to a maximum of €3.8m is provided to Local Authorities towards the capital cost of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. No decision has been taken on the timing of a new round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme.

A number of agencies under the aegis of my Department also provide funding for community based projects in the arts and sport areas. Details of the financial allocations to these bodies are set out in the Annual Estimates for Public Services and in the annual reports and financial statements of each body and agency, which are available in the Dáil Library or on the relevant corporate websites.