Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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265. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which her Department proposes to assist the sporting and recreational interests throughout Ireland in 2022; the extent to which she expects grant or other aid to feature directly or indirectly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55449/21]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In Budget 2022, the Government announced over €181 million in funding for sport next year, an increase of almost €11 million compared to the 2021 Revised Estimate. Current expenditure funding for Sport Ireland for 2022 will be €96 million, an increase of over €4m from 2021. This funding will enable Sport Ireland to continue to support the sport sector as it recovers from the challenges of Covid. It will also allow continued grant funding support for sporting bodies through Sport Ireland's range of funding programmes. 

My Department's Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) 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. At least €34.5 million has been provided for the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme in 2022, which will cover all existing allocations under older rounds of the Programme plus significant new allocations for the 2020 Capital applications.

We are also continuing our investment in larger sporting facility projects with at least €14.6 million being made available for the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund next year.