Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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125. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his views on the investment for Dalymount Stadium; and the updated timeline for completion of the stadium. [22890/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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A provisional grant of €918,750 was announced in January 2020 towards the overall design cost for the redevelopment of Dalymount Park under Stream 1 of the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). This Stream 1 funding was for design costs only and, to date the Department has paid Dublin City Council €353,226 towards the design element of the project.

Under the 2024 LSSIF round, Dublin City Council successfully applied for funding to renovate the Dalymount Park stadium. This project will provide an entirely new UEFA Category 3 stadium and football pitch. The existing stadium will be demolished to create a brand new four-sided enclosed stadium and a re-orientated pitch on the north/south axis. A LSSIF grant of €24,700,000 has been provisionally awarded for this project.

As the Deputy is aware, all new public investment proposals must comply with the Infrastructure Guidelines published by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. My officials are currently carrying out assessment work required by the Infrastructure Guidelines and will continue to engage with the Dublin City Council project managers who are ultimately responsible for the delivery of the Dalymount Stadium project and the associated project timeline.

I look forward to seeing construction commencing on this project which will deliver both sporting infrastructure and urban revitalisation benefits for the communities of Phibsborough and beyond,

By way of background, Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) was established under the National Sports Policy, published on 25 July 2018, to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, typically those requiring investments greater than the maximum available under the Community Sport Facilities Fund.

The aim of the LSSIF is to provide investment in sporting infrastructure that will reinforce the Department’s stated sporting objectives such as increasing active participation in sport, including female participation and participation by those with a disability as well as increasing social participation and improving high performance in sport.

Under the second round of the LSSIF, grants totalling €173 million, benefiting 35 individual projects, were announced on 4 November 2024. The cumulative investment allocation from the LSSIF since 2020 now stands at €297 million.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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126. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding and support provided by his Department for grassroot soccer clubs in the Dublin mid-west area; the new schemes he is proposing for clubs over the next term of Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22644/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Over €75 million in State funding has been allocated to the FAI between 2019 and 2024, including €30.2 million specifically to support football development and aimed at promoting participation in football by young people, with the balance in funding comprising Covid-specific and energy supports to the FAI and the wider football sector.

In particular, considerable financial support for football has been provided by the State through the 2020-2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government and the FAI. The MOU provided for a package of funding of €5.8 million per annum to the FAI during that 4-year period up to 2023 for football development. A new MOU was signed on 17 December 2024, which has increased State funding to the FAI to €6 million per annum for the period 2024-2027. The bulk of this funding will go towards the FAI’s Youth Field Sports grants, which are aimed at developing the grassroots of the game, improving coaching and playing standards, growing participation numbers and embracing communities outside of the traditional base of the sport.

In terms of State support for the development of facilities, €50.6 million was allocated from the Community Sports and Equipment Fund in 2024 to support the development of grassroots club football facilities nationwide. In line with previous rounds of the programme, a review of the current funding round will be undertaken, and that review will inform the timing of the next round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund. I would anticipate that the next round should be announced in 2026.

The Government is also providing significant support to the hosting of the Euro 2028 football championships, which will deliver a lasting legacy for football in Ireland. A specific legacy fund will help deliver increased participation and related health and social benefits – especially for communities from under-represented groups and deprived areas. Social inclusion will be key in the delivery of the tournament to ensure that the legacy benefits reach a diverse and wide-ranging group.

In 2024, the Government provided an additional funding grant of €1 million to the FAI to, inter alia, produce a detailed report on the development of football academies. The report will include a deep baseline audit of existing academy structures and needs, which will inform the development of an academy development plan. I look forward to receiving the FAI’s report which will inform the development of academies that will maximise the potential of Irish Football.