Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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262. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if financial supports are available to a not-for-profit community sports club (details supplied) to assist with running costs such as rent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57501/21]

Jack 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, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes. It does not provide direct funding for clubs but channels the funding through the relevant National Governing Body of Sport. There is no mechanism by which Sport Ireland can allocate funding outside of this process.

In relation to financial supports that are available for the sport sector due to Covid, on 5th October 2021, Minister Martin and I announced that additional current funding of up to €65 million will be available to support the sport sector this year. Allied to the additional current expenditure of €26.3 million already provided to Sport Ireland, a total of €91.3 million will have been allocated in additional current funding to support the sport sector in 2021.

This package is intended to support National Governing Bodies of Sport and sports clubs arising from the significant impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the sports sector, by providing specific funding support for the following sectors:

- Field Sport funding to support the main field sports, i.e. the FAI, the GAA and the IRFU;

- A Resilience Fund to support the other National Governing Bodies of Sport;

- A Sports Club Resilience Fund to support clubs from all sports;

- A Swimming Pools/Facilities Fund;

- A Resumption of Sport and Physical Activity Fund.

The funding will be invested through new grant schemes developed by Sport Ireland and the funding will be disbursed through the National Governing Bodies of sport.

Following the announcement, Sport Ireland invited applications for funding from the National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships. The applications are now being reviewed by Sport Ireland and funding allocations will be announced in December.

Funding for individual clubs under the Sports Club Resilience Fund is being delivered directly by the National Governing Bodies through programmes established by each of the National Governing Bodies in receipt of funding.

The club mentioned by the Deputy should contact their National Governing Body directly to see what financial supports are available.