Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

204. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total number of applications for the 2021-2022 sports capital grant per county; the number of applications; the name of each club or organisation that applied for 2021-2022 sports capital grants that were invalid in each county; the number and name of each club in each county that had a valid application but was unsuccessful in securing funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8875/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 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.  Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.1 billion.   The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritise the investment in disadvantaged areas.

The 2020 round of the Programme closed for applications on 1st March 2021.  By this closing date, 3,106 applications had been submitted seeking over €200m in funding.  This is the highest number of applications ever received. 

Approximately one thousand of the submitted applications were for 'equipment-only' projects. These applications were assessed first and grants with a total value of €16.6m were announced on 6 August 2021. The remaining capital applications were then assessed and 1,865 individual grant offers with a total value of over €143.8m were announced on Friday 11 February.

Details of all 3,106 applications submitted under the 2020 SCEP round can be viewed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/991ea-sports-capital-and-equipment-programme-2020-applications/.

A list of all successful applicants can be viewed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/471ed5-sports-capital-allocations/

In relation to invalid applications, applicants will be given the opportunity to appeal the Department's decision and such relevant applicants will be contacted shortly with details of the appeals process.  

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

205. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the delays in drawing down a sports capital grant for a club (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8890/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The club to which the Deputy refers was provisionally allocated a grant under the 2017 Sports Capital Programme (SCP) for the development of an artificial playing surface. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the SCP, certain legal requirements must be met in order to protect the public investment in the facility. In this regard my Department has recently been in contact with the Department’s legal advisor, the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO) to seek an update on the legal requirements.

It will not be possible to provide formal approval for the provisionally allocated grants until the CSSO confirms that all legal formalities have been completed.  Once the CSSO confirmation is received there will be no undue delay in progressing the allocations to formal approval stage and subsequently paying the grants subject to the other necessary documentation being submitted by the club.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

206. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the current position in respect of the release of funds under the 2018 Sports Capital Programme; the status of the funding due to a club (details supplied) given that all of the legal issues which were raised by the Office the State Solicitor were resolved more than six months ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8899/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The club to which the Deputy refers, was provisionally allocated a grant under the 2018 Sports Capital Programme (SCP) for security fencing and the development of a natural playing surface. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the SCP, due to the value of the grants received by the club in the past, it is necessary to execute a Deed of Covenant and Charge in order to protect the public investment in the facility. These requirements were communicated to the club at provisional allocation stage and it was made clear that formal approval could not issue until the legal requirements were finalised. 

I understand that my Department’s legal advisor, the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO), has been in regular contact with the club’s solicitors, including in recent weeks, in relation to some outstanding documentation which is required to progress matters. As previously stated, it will not be possible to provide formal approval for the grant until the CSSO confirms that all legal formalities are complete.  Once the CSSO confirmation is received there will be no undue delay in progressing the allocations to formal approval stage and subsequently paying the grants subject to the other necessary documentation being submitted by the club.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

207. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there are plans to announce a further round of sports capital funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8949/22]

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

209. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the next round of sports capital grants will be open for applications. [8961/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 209 together.

The 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. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.1 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritise the investment in disadvantaged areas.

The 2020 round of the Programme closed for applications on 1 March 2021. By this date, 3,106 applications had been submitted seeking over €200m in funding. This is the highest number of applications ever received.

The scoring system and assessment procedures were finalised and published prior to assessment work commencing and all applications were assessed in accordance with these procedures. Approximately one thousand of the submitted applications were for 'equipment-only' projects. These applications were assessed first and grants with a total value of €16.6m were announced on 6 August 2021. The remaining capital applications were then assessed and 1,865 individual grant offers with a total value of over €143.8m were announced on Friday 11 February. The priority in the medium terms is to progress all of these projects to grant drawdown stage.

In relation to any unsuccessful applicants, my Department will be in touch with relevant organisations shortly outlining the procedures which need to be followed to appeal the Department's decision. When the appeals process is complete, a full Review of the 2020 round of the SCEP will be undertaken and any recommendations contained therein will be included in the terms and conditions of the next Round. The precise timing of this next Round of the Programme will be announced once this Review is complete.

In relation to organisations who may wish to apply for funding in the future, these should first register on www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie. Organisations must have a tax registration number from the Revenue Commissioners if they wish to register.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

208. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason that a club (details supplied) was unsuccessful in its application for sports capital funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8952/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 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.  Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.1 billion.   The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.

The 2020 round of the Programme closed for applications on 1 March 2021.  By this date, 3,106 applications had been submitted seeking over €200m in funding.  This is the highest number of applications ever received.  

The scoring system and assessment procedures were finalised and published prior to assessment work commencing and all applications were assessed in accordance with these procedures. All of the improvements which were introduced for recent rounds of the Programme to make the process as user-friendly as possible were maintained for this round. This included giving applicants a second chance to submit corrected documentation. The full scoring system and assessment procedures can be viewed at the following link: www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie/  

Approximately one thousand of the submitted applications were for 'equipment-only' projects. These applications were assessed first and grants with a total value of €16.6m were announced on 6 August 2021. The remaining capital applications were then assessed and 1,865 individual grant offers with a total value of over €143.8m were announced on Friday 11 February.

My Department will be in touch directly with all applicants to notify them of the outcome of their applications. Where relevant, this will include details of why applications were deemed invalid. All such unsuccessful applicants, including the organisation referred to by the Deputy, will have the opportunity to appeal the Department's decision and full details of the appeals procedure will issue to these clubs shortly.