Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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When the 2017 Sports Capital Programme (SCP) was advertised, my Department issued a guide to filling out the application form which set out the minimum requirements that applicants had to meet to be considered for funding.

Applications were deemed invalid primarily for one or more of the following reasons:-

- Title/Access requirements of the SCP not satisfied

- Insufficient quotations/estimates submitted

- Evidence of own funding not provided in prescribed format

All applicants have been informed of the outcome of the assessment of their application, including details of why applications were deemed invalid. Applicants were also offered the opportunity to appeal the Department's decision if they believed that an error was made in deeming their application invalid. The club referred to by the Deputy has lodged such an appeal which is currently under consideration. 

Separately, my Department is undertaking a general review of all invalid applications including those where incorrect or incomplete documentation was submitted. Decisions in relation to how to address any successful appeals and improvements to further reduce the level of invalid applications under future rounds of the SCP will be taken once these reviews are complete.