Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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323. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of the review of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23386/22]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) was launched in 2018 to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, including swimming pools, with at least €100 million being made available over the period to 2027.

The first allocations under the LSSIF were announced in January 2020 and, thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals. The projects that received provisional allocations and the amounts provisionally awarded to them are published on the Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/service/4113b3-large-scale-sport-infrastructure-fund-lssif/.  The rules of the scheme and the assessment process are also published on that page.

While the priority in the short term is to advance all of the projects that were allocated funding, as it is now over two years since the first allocations were made, and in view of the issues faced by grantees as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects allocated grants. My Department has now met with all successful grantees and work is at an advanced stage in drafting the review. I expect this work to be finalised shortly.

Once that review is complete the scope for awarding any additional grants, adjusting the level  of existing grants and the timing of any new call for proposals will be considered. 

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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324. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps that she is taking to improve funding for and access to high level competition by Irish disabled elite sportspeople; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23387/22]

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, including high performance sport and its funding allocations. It provides funding to Paralympics Ireland to support its administration and operational costs. Sport Ireland also provides High Performance Programme funding to Paralympics Ireland to support the delivery of its para programme, which supports Irish athletes in reaching finals and achieving medals at European Championships, World Championships, and the Paralympic Games. Sport Ireland has provided significant investment to disabled (para) athletes who compete in performance level sport.

The Government's long-standing commitment to para sport is evident in the amount of funding allocated for the most recent Tokyo Cycle, 2017-2020, whereby Sport Ireland invested €2.7 million into Paralympics Ireland’s High Performance Programme. The Sport Ireland High Performance Strategy 2021-2032 sets out the long-term vision for the high performance system. The funding being allocated in 2022 reflects these objectives and is an important step-change in how the Government, though Sport Ireland, supports high performance sport.

There will be an enhanced Government commitment to para sport over the Paris Olympics Cycle, 2021-2024. As recently announced, over that period Government funding will amount to €3.7 million to Paralympics Ireland’s High Performance Programme, representing an increase of €1 million compared to the Tokyo Olympics funding cycle.

Sport Ireland also provides funding to individual athletes through the International Carding Scheme. In 2022, €612,000 will be provided to para athletes to help support their performance endeavours.

The following Table summarises the level of funding allocated to Paralympics Ireland since 2017.

- Total International Carding Scheme for Para Athletes in 2022:€612,500

- Paralympics Ireland:€260,000

Additional funding allocated to Para athletes in 2022 through their individual National Governing Bodies is listed below:

- Badminton Ireland:€18,000

- Canoeing Ireland:€40,000

- Cycling Ireland:€258,500

- Table Tennis Ireland:€18,000

- Triathlon Ireland:€18,000