Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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On 3 April 2024 Minister Martin and I published the ‘Review of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF)’ and the new ‘Similar Access Requirement’. The review outlines the issues faced by LSSIF projects to date and provides recommendations in relation to a new round of LSSIF. The five recommendations include population and sustainability criteria, reducing administrative overheads, the level of grant aid funding required to deliver projects, similar access for men and women and guiding principles in respect of Stadiums and Large-Scale Sports Facilities. The review and recommendations are available on my Department’s website.

The new Similar Access Requirement means that recipients of LSSIF funding must accommodate the needs of women and men, on a similar basis, with respect to accessing the facilities that have been allocated public funding. Any organisation that is in receipt of LSSIF funding must have a similar access policy in place and must work towards publishing it as soon as possible. A fundamental aim of the Government’s National Sports Policy 2018-2027 is to increase the levels of participation in sport and physical activity across the population, with a specific focus on less represented groups including women and girls. A lot of good progress is being made, not just in terms of increasing participation by women and girls but also in the important areas of leadership and management roles in sport. Since the introduction of the Women in Sport Programme in 2005, the participation gradient between females and males has reduced from 15.7% to 5% in 2022. Further narrowing and ultimate elimination of the gradient remains the policy objective and I am confident that the Similar Access Requirement in respect of LSSIF projects will further contribute to achieving this objective.

I hope to publish the terms and conditions for a new round of the LSSIF 2024 next month. While intending applicants can review the guidelines and conditions of the programme from LSSIF 2018, these are subject to change in LSSIF 2024. It should also be noted that the scheme does not allow for the purchase of land or buildings.

I would encourage all eligible projects to consider applying for this competitive application process when it opens.