Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The latest round of the SCEP closed for applications on Friday 8 September 2023 and it has generated a record number of applications and a total funding ask of €359 million, an 80% increase over the amount applied for in the 2020 SCEP.

The Scoring System and Assessment Manual for the 2023 round has been published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. The detailed assessment work has commenced, with the "equipment-only" applications being assessed first, and I hope to announce the "equipment only" grants soon. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with those allocations to be announced later.

In line with established practice after every recent round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, a review will be undertaken with a view to making recommendations on how to improve the programme and the process for future calls. When this review of the current 2023 round is done, consideration can then be given to the timing of a further round of the SCEP.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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75. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the supports available to gymnastics clubs for the purchase of equipment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18306/24]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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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, including those from gymnastics clubs, 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.

Grants are available to voluntary, not-for profit sports clubs, community groups, NGBs, and

local authorities. Third level colleges, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and schools

may only apply for funding jointly with sports clubs or organisations.

The latest round of the SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday 8 September, 2023. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications. The total number of 3,210 applications exceeds the record number submitted under the last (2020) round.

The "Scoring System and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round has been finalised and published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. These details can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/ . The detailed assessment work has commenced and "equipment-only" applications are being assessed first and I hope to announce these "equipment only" grants soon. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later.

The Government recently agreed revised capital allocations under the National Development Plan (NDP) totalling €2.25 billion out to 2026. The additional allocations of capital funding for my department to 2026 will support key projects and programmes under the NDP such as the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme and the Large Scale Infrastructure Fund.

I am confident that the revised NDP capital allocations for my Department will allow for significant funding of both the 2023 round of the Sports Capital and Equipment programme and the forthcoming round of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund. I expect that Minister Martin and I will confirm the overall allocation for the next round of SCEP in the near future in the context of the ongoing assessment of the applications which is currently underway.