Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

111. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount allocated to privately owned golf clubs through the sports capital programme for 2020. [16663/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

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. All unsuccessful applicants were given the opportunity to appeal the Department’s decision. In relation to the capital grants announced in November, a total of 122 appeals were submitted by the December deadline. The review of these appeals was completed in April 2020 with 6 new allocations approved. None of these 6 allocations were to golf clubs. No other allocations have been made under the SCP this year. Details of previous years allocations under the SCP can be found at the following link:- www.gov.ie/en/collection/471ed5-sports-capital-allocations/.

It should be noted that SCP funding is only available to organisations that are run on a not-for-profit basis and that are owned and run on behalf of the members. Any organisation allocated funding under the scheme must also be open for new members.

Following the finalisation of the appeals process, a full Review of the 2018 round of the SCP was undertaken. This Review is currently under consideration and includes recommendations for some changes to the terms and conditions of the next round of the SCP. I understand that this is expected to be finalised shortly and a decision on the timing of a new round of the SCP will be taken after that.