Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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305. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the degree to which she and her Department have supported and continued to support the sport and recreational sector through the medium of sports grants or otherwise, whether further assistance is anticipated in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23972/23]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to maintaining the significant support for sport witnessed in recent years and will continue to engage with Sport Ireland and other stakeholders in this regard.

In relation to my Department's direct responsibilities, 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.The final grants were announced on Tuesday 31 May last and the total allocation of €166.6 million represents the highest level of allocation ever made under the SCEP.

While the priority in recent months has been to advance the successful applications, which number almost 2,900, under the 2020 round to "formal approval" and grant drawdown stage, my Department continues to support and guide grantees from past rounds as they manage their grants.

Following completion of the appeal process, my Department commenced a full review of all aspects of the 2020 round of the SCEP. This Review has now been published and is available on the Department’s website.

Now that the Review has been finalised, I have asked my officials to draft the "Guide to Making an Application" for the 2023 round to reflect the recommendations in the Review. Once completed, the Guide will be published on my Department's website.

Furthermore, we are continuing to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to the launch of the next cycle of the SCEP. On foot of this engagement and when the new "Guide to Making an Application" is finalised, I will announce the exact date on which the next round of SCEP will open for applications.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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306. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department continue to encourage participation in sports in the current year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23973/23]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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I recognise the importance of sport and physical activity for the health and wellbeing of our society and the need to ensure that opportunities are in place to allow all members of society to participate in sport. Encouraging participation levels in sport is an important element of the National Sports Policy 2018-2027.

Sport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, including the promotion of sports participation. For 2023, the Government has provided a current budget allocation of €89.7 million for Sport Ireland which will enable the agency to continue to support the sport sector this year.

Sport Ireland engages with sporting organisations on an ongoing basis and is continuing to support the sector in its recovery and development post-pandemic. Significant Government funding of over €162 million has been provided since 2020 in Covid-19 funding support to help sports organisations to recover and grow post-pandemic, support our grassroots networks of clubs and local sports partnerships, and ensure that people of all ages and abilities return to sport and physical activity.

In addition, as part of Budget 2023, €35 million was made available to help alleviate the impact of increased energy costs for sports clubs and organisations with a view to ensuring that everyone can continue to enjoy the benefits of sport and physical activity over the winter months.

Last week, Minister Catherine Martin and I announced the reopening of the application process for the Sports Energy Support Scheme with an extended eligibility period to the end of May. The re-opening of the Sports Energy Support Scheme demonstrates the Government’s strong commitment to supporting our sports clubs and facilities across the country.