Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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240. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a list of each of the current grant schemes that are administrated by his Department and that are available to community groups or projects; the total amount paid for each of these schemes for each of the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27789/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Sports Capital Programme is the Government’s primary vehicle for supporting the development of sports facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment.  Any organisation, including a community group, interested in applying for a grant under the next round of the Sports Capital Programme should register on OSCAR at www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie (if not already registered). The 2015 round of the SCP closed for applications on 24 April 2105 and the applications are currently being assessed.  I expect to announce allocations later this year.  The total amount paid out from the SCP subhead in each of the past four years is €23.4m, €19.8m, €13.6m and €20.9m in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively.  While the current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP) closed for applications in 2000, I did launch an initiative in 2011 to provide grants to enable local authorities to improve energy efficiency and to enhance disabled access in respect of swimming pools. Community pools not owned by the local authorities could be sponsored by the local authorities for the purposes of these grants. The total amount paid out in respect of the allocations made on foot of that initiative in each of the past four years is €7.4m, €3.6m, €1.2m and €98,931 in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively.

I recently launched another initiative to provide grants to improve energy efficiency and to enhance disabled access to swimming pools.  The closing date for applications has passed and the applications are currently being assessed in the Department. I expect to also announce allocations on foot of this initiative later this year.

In addition, the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG)administers relatively small grants to community based volunteer organisations i.e. Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs) and their parent organisation MRI (Mountain Rescue Ireland which is an all island organisation),  the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO), and Community Rescue Boats of Ireland (CRBI). In all some 22 individual teams are in receipt of grants. The objective of this funding is to assist in increasing the effectiveness of the voluntary rescue services, provide an operational and/or administrative quality improvement and to improve the overall national response structure.  The amount paid out in each of the past four years is €205,678, €248,754, €247,322 and €250,531 in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively.