Written answers

Tuesday, 1 June 2021

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Sports Funding

Photo of Peter BurkePeter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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301. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding allocated to an association (details supplied) since 2017 to date; the conditions attached to this funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29591/21]

Photo of Jack ChambersJack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards. This includes the allocation of funding to sporting organisations across a variety of funding schemes.  I have referred the Deputy's question to Sport Ireland for direct reply in relation to the funding allocated to the organisation mentioned by the Deputy from 2017 to date and the conditions attaching to same. I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received within 10 working days. 

In relation to support for capital projects, €512,000 has been allocated since 2017 to the Association referenced by the Deputy. Of that allocation, €212,000 has been allocated via the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme and €300,000 via the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund.

The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme 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 Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund provides Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects.

My Department corresponded directly with the Association in respect of all allocations under the SCEP and LSSIF and those communications addressed the terms and conditions that must be met prior to formal approval of the grants.

Photo of Peter BurkePeter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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302. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding issued to an association (details supplied) under the Covid sport resilience fund in 2020 and 2021; the conditions attached to this funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29592/21]

Photo of Jack ChambersJack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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A Covid-19 funding package of €85 million was provided in 2020 to support the sport sector. This significant investment benefited all levels of the sport sector, including thousands of grassroots clubs across the country, and provided some certainty for sporting organisations in their planning for 2021.

In total, €725,000 was allocated to the association mentioned by the Deputy, comprising €225,000 under the NGB Resilience Fund and €500,000 under the Sports Club Resilience Fund.

A  full breakdown of the funding provided to individual sporting organisations in November and December 2020 is available on Sport Ireland's website at the following links: 

www.sportireland.ie/sites/default/files/media/document/2020-11/sport-ireland-covid-19-funding-annoucement-breakdown.pdf

www.sportireland.ie/news/eu58-million-in-covid-19-supplementary-funding-for-sport

The funding criteria for each of the grant schemes was established by Sport Ireland and the funding guidelines were issued by Sport Ireland directly to National Governing Bodies and Local Sports Partnerships.  As the conditions attached to the funding are a matter for Sport Ireland, I am arranging for Sport Ireland to provide the Deputy with a detailed reply on the criteria used in the allocation of the Covid-19 grant funding to the association.  I would ask the Deputy to inform my office if a reply is not received within 10 working days.

No decisions have yet been made in relation to Covid-19 funding support for the sport sector for this year.  Sport Ireland is in ongoing communication with the National Governing Bodies of Sport and is assessing the financial needs of the sector. In addition, I am engaging with NGBs both bilaterally and through the Covid-19 Sports Monitoring Group with regard to the supports required in the period ahead.

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