Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

266. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the date on which the next Local Authority Swimming Pool Grant Programme application process will commence; the amount granted to County Kildare in respect of the scheme in the last round by location. [8415/23]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

267. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on the large-scale sport infrastructure fund grant in respect of the delivery of a swimming pool to the north County Kildare. [8419/23]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 267 together.

In relation to my Department's responsibilities, capital funding for new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools was previously provided through the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP). 52 pools have been completed under the LASPP and three swimming pool projects (Lucan, Buncrana and Edenderry) remain in the programme with the Lucan project currently under construction. Two pools in Kildare received funding under the programme previously, namely Athy and Naas, with both projects complete in 2009.

My Department's capital support for any new swimming pools is now being provided through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The National Development Plan provided a capital allocation of at least €100 million for the Fund over the period to 2027. The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of Sport. The first allocations were announced in January 2020 and thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals including 8 swimming pool projects. Full details of all allocations are available at:- www.gov.ie/en/service/4113b3-large-scale-sport-infrastructure-fund-lssif/

An application was received from Kildare County Council for design funding towards a new swimming pool at the Maynooth campus with €1 million sought. The total funding applied for under the scheme significantly exceeded the amount available to allocate and the swimming pool project in Maynooth did not score sufficiently highly to be awarded a grant.

All unsuccessful applicants were given the opportunity to appeal the Department’s decision if it was felt than an error was made in the assessment process and an appeal was received from Kildare County Council. All appeals have now been assessed by officials who were not involved in the initial assessment process and no errors were found which warranted an automatic grant.

While the priority in the short term is to advance the projects that were already allocated funding, a review of the LSSIF Programme is underway. 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. As part of that review, the Department is examining, inter alia, progress on all projects awarded funding to date, whether there is any scope to award additional grants and whether there should be a new call for proposals.

Furthermore, work has advanced on the development of the first National Swimming Strategy based on a vision to ‘provide everyone in Ireland with an opportunity to swim’. The Working Group tasked with the detailed work of preparing the strategy is chaired by my Department and comprises representatives from relevant NGBs and stakeholders. An extensive consultation process has been undertaken across both stakeholders and the public and work is ongoing on the analysis of the very large number of responses received to ensure that the Strategy encompasses all of the issues raised to the greatest extent possible. It is hoped to finalise the new Strategy in the coming months and it will further guide future swimming pool investment policy.

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

268. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the next round of sports capital grants will be announced; when the deadline for receipt of applications will arise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8469/23]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, 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 €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.

The 2020 round of the SCEP closed for applications on Monday 1 March 2021 and by the deadline a record 3,106 applications were submitted.

Approximately one thousand of the submitted applications were for 'equipment-only' projects. These applications were assessed first and grants with a total value of €16.6 million 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 €143.8 million were announced on Friday 11 February 2022.

Unsuccessful applicants were able to appeal the Department's decision. The deadline for submission of capital appeals was Monday 4 April and 146 appeals were received. Consequent allocations on foot of successful appeals amounting to €6.14 million were announced on Tuesday 31 May. The total allocation of €166.6 million for the 2020 round represents the highest level of allocation ever made under the SCEP.

Details of all allocations, on a county basis, can be found on the Department's website.

The priority in the short term is to advance the successful applications, which number almost 2,900, under the 2020 round to "formal approval" and grant draw down stage.

Following completion of the appeal process, my Department commenced a full review of all aspects of the 2020 round of the SCEP. A draft of the Review is complete and I met last week with the Review team to finalise this work. I expect to be in a position to publish this Review shortly. Any recommendations arising from the finalised Review will be reflected in the next round. Furthermore, my officials are engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the next round of the SCEP. Once this process is concluded, I will announce the exact dates from which new applications will be accepted. In this regard, ample lead-in time will be afforded to all potential applicants to make their submissions.