Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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373. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if funding will be provided to a voluntary organisation (details supplied) in respect of the ongoing costs of providing a sports and recreation facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27339/20]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on Ireland's sport and leisure sector. I regret that the necessary public health restrictions have presented serious challenges the operators of sports and recration facilities. I agree with the Deputy that these facilities are hugely valuable to communities throughout the country and play a major role in supporting people's health and wellbeing. I am pleased that in Levels 2 and 3 of the Resilience and Recovery Plan, all gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools are permitted to open. I hope that they will continue to serve their communities through the winter months.

As part of the July Jobs Stimulus, I announced a special fund of €2.5 million to support the reopening of publicly accessible swimming pools in recognition of the particular challenges pool operators face in reopening to the public. This funding will be administered by Sport Ireland. A grant scheme is currently being drafted. Full details of the scheme and the application process will be announced shortly.