Written answers

Tuesday, 14 July 2020

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Sports Facilities

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the relevant meetings with his officials will be organised to progress a proposal (details supplied) in relation to the provision of an athletics track and municipal stadium which is much needed in the east County Meath area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16033/20]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Schools may apply for funding so long as they do so with a sports club or organisation.

The most recent (2018) round of the SCP attracted a record 2,337 applications. Allocations were announced in January, May and November of last year with a total of over €56 million awarded to 1,648 different projects.

Following the finalisation of all applications, a full Review of the 2018 round of the SCP was undertaken. This Review is currently under consideration and I understand that a decision on the timing of a new round of the SCP will be taken after it is finalised.

Furthermore, the National Sports Policy was published in 2018 and provided for a new Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of the fund is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports capital projects where the Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount available under the Sports Capital Programme. The first call for applications under the LSSIF was confined to National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Local Authorities and the first grants under the new scheme were announced in January of this year.

In both the SCP and the LSSIF, higher scores are awarded to applicants showing that the proposed facilities will be shared with other users. In relation to the proposed project referred to by the Deputy it will be open to project sponsors to consider applying for assistance under either the next round of the SCP or the LSSIF as appropriate.

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