Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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Question 484: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he operates any schemes to provide financial support to Irish sports scholarship students awarded scholarships in universities in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19941/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is funded by my Department, has a statutory role in encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive and recreational sport. The provision of funding to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport is the responsibility of the ISC and is based on ISC criteria. These NGBs then, in turn, provide funding to the relevant sports clubs. There is no mechanism by which organisations/clubs or individuals can secure funding outside this process. The ISC does not operate any scheme to provide financial support to Irish sports scholarships students abroad. There is no other funding available from my Department for this purpose.