Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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326. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason Fingal County Council did not receive direct funding through the €85 million allocated by Sport Ireland to address the existential threat to national governing bodies, their club networks, local sports organisations and the local sports partnership small grant scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36297/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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On 2 November, I announced a funding package of €85m to support the sport sector.

This included an amount of €64 million allocated to National Governing Bodies of sport, Local Sports Partnerships and clubs under new Covid-19 grant schemes administered by Sport Ireland.

Sport Ireland invited all Local Sports Partnerships to apply for funding under the Restart and Renewal Grant Scheme. Funding was available under this scheme to support Local Sports Partnership led small grants schemes for small clubs and community groups, dedicated funding for disability sport and older adults, and a broad range of Innovative and restart projects supported through Local Sports Partnerships and National Governing Bodies.

In total, over €2.35m was allocated to Local Sports Partnerships under the Restart and Renewal Grant Scheme.

I have had enquiries made with Sport Ireland and I am informed that Fingal Local Sports Partnership chose not to submit a funding application under the Covid-19 grant schemes as they had secured funding directly from Fingal County Council to support local clubs in response to COVID-19.