Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of Sport. All applications were assessed in accordance with the published Evaluation Procedures and Guidelines and the first allocations were announced in January 2020. Thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals. Full details of all allocations are available at: www.gov.ie/en/service/4113b3-large-scale-sport-infrastructure-fund-lssif/. Details of all payments under the LSSIF for 2021 and 2022 are also available on my Department's website and are summarised below.

Total payments in 2021: €417,015

Total payments in 2022: €1,895,561

€1,585,653 has been paid to date in 2023 with requests for approximately an additional €1m currently being processed.

In relation to these drawdown rates, it should be noted that the first LSSIF allocations were announced just prior to the arrival of Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic gave rise to significant financial challenges for all grantees with many of them having to reprioritise their own expenditure plans due to reductions in their income streams. In more recent times, the high level of construction inflation has also presented considerable challenges for grantees.

In view of these issues, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects allocated grants and meetings with all grantees have taken place. It is encouraging that, based on these discussions with grantees, it is estimated that a majority of the 33 projects should be in a position to draw down funding in the next 12 months. Furthermore, projects such as the new athletics hub in Newcastle West, the linear walkway element of the project in Dunboyne and phase one of the Walsh Park development in Waterford are now complete. While this progress is very welcome, these discussions also confirmed that some projects in receipt of LSSIF grants may not proceed in the short to medium term.

Following engagement with the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, and in recognition of the challenges faced by some grantees, officials in my Department wrote to all LSSIF grantees inviting them to apply for additional support by 4 August 2023. To be considered for additional funding, grantees were advised that the key elements of the project should remain as set out in the original LSSIF application and that priority will be given to applicants who provide evidence-based documentation to support their application. Further clarification was sought from some grantees but all of this information has now been received. Accordingly, I hope to be in a position to announce further allocations to grantees in due course with a view to ensuring that all existing LSSIF projects can be completed.

With regard to a possible new round of the LSSIF, I will continue to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, in relation to the funding required to underpin any new round.