Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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263. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the determination of major capital sports grants in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15642/14]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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264. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which his Department continues to evaluate the need for the promotion and development of sporting and recreational facilities throughout the country with a view to ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of such facilities and with particular reference to the need to encourage more young persons to participate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15643/14]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together.  

I assume that the Deputy is referring to the Sports Capital Programme. I was delighted to launch the 2014 round of the Sports Capital Programme earlier this year. €40 million is available for allocations. This is a clear recognition of the need for new and improved sporting facilities in every county.  

The application period closed on Monday 10 March. The applications will first be checked by officials in the Department to see if they are valid and then assessed against criteria that are designed to give higher scores to applications that will increase participation, where facilities will be shared, that are from designated disadvantaged areas, that have not received funding in the past and are ready to be progressed as soon as possible.   

I will announce the allocations as soon as possible after the assessment process has been completed later this year.