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 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 including an allocation of €2,025,699 for the Munster Centre of Excellence project. Details of all allocations are on the Department's website.

The FAI wrote to my Department earlier this year stating that the FAI Board and Executive had made the decision not to proceed with the Glanmire project. In this regard the FAI stated that the original proposal no longer represented the greatest return on investment for all parties involved. It should be noted however, that the FAI has also stated that it remains committed to supporting the development of a Munster Centre of Excellence facility in the Cork region. In this regard, the Association advised that it will continue to work with Cork City FC and other stakeholders to seek a new location for the Munster Centre of Excellence facility and will inform my Department once a site is identified. My Department awaits a new proposal from the FAI and will review it in accordance with the LSSIF guidelines.

I will engage again with the FAI, as it is in the best interests of sport and football that the investment is made.

If any proposal emerges from the FAI which again seeks to develop the original site at Glanmire, I will of course be keen to see progress.

My Department and I will continue to engage with the FAI in relation to the development of a Munster Centre of Excellence, including any proposal which seeks to develop the original site at Glanmire, as it is in the best interests of sport and football to see this investment made.