Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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644. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if formal sports capital approval will be granted to a club (details supplied) as soon as possible. [19611/21]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) 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 club referred to by the Deputy has submitted applications under various rounds of the SCEP and grants were awarded under both the 2017 and 2018 rounds of the programme with funding of €79,000 allocated. Formal approval for both the 2017 and 2018 grants issued on the 31^stof March this year. The club may now seek payment of these grants.

The club has a further application pending under the 2020 round of the SCEP. The 2020 round of the SCEP closed for applications on Monday 1^stMarch. By the closing date, 3,106 applications were submitted seeking over €200m in funding. This is the highest number of applications ever received and it will take a number of months to assess all of the applications.

The scoring system and assessment procedures are nearing finalisation and all applications, including the application from the club referred to by the Deputy, will be assessed in accordance with these. Given the large number of applications received this assessment process is likely to take a number of months. As soon as this process is complete all applicants will be informed of the outcome of the assessment of their application.