Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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37. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when sports capital grants will be released in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27519/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCP and to prioritise the investment in disadvantaged areas.

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 with 6 new allocations approved. 

The priority to date this year has been to advance all projects previously allocated funding to ensure the facilities are available for use and that the relevant grants are drawn down. In this regard, over €20m has been paid out to over 800 different sports clubs and groups so far this year.

With regard to future rounds of the programme, a full Review of the 2018 round of the SCP has now been completed and the terms and conditions of the next round of the programme will be based on the recommendations in the Review. Work on these terms and conditions is now being finalised and a decision on a new round of the programme will be made after that is completed.