Written answers
Thursday, 12 June 2025
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Departmental Expenditure
Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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370. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the total estimated cost to the Exchequer associated with the recent renaming and rebranding of his Department including but not limited to cost categories (details supplied); the breakdown of the incurred or projected costs; and if a cost-benefit analysis or any assessment of public value was carried out prior to approving these changes. [31361/25]
Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Following the Government’s decision to reconfigure the functions of this Department, my Department was formally established as the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport on 2 June 2025. My Department has taken a number of steps to ensure that this transition is as efficient and cost-effective as possible.
Updated logos were issued to my Department by the Department of the Taoiseach’s Government Information Service (GIS) for use in electronic documents, templates, email signatures and relevant online platforms at no expense to this Department. The incorporation of these logos has been done in the normal course of business and has not entailed any additional operational or staffing cost.
Similarly, the updating of the Department’s email addresses to reflect its new title was carried out by the Department’s ICT Unit in the normal course of business in conjunction with its Microsoft support partner. The alteration of the Department’s website domain name was carried out by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO).
In relation to rebranded signage, while the Department has received estimated costs for new signage at its Killarney and Dublin offices, no expenditure has yet been incurred on this.
Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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371. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason for the delays in the final allocation of a sports capital equipment grant for a club (details supplied). [31430/25]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Sports Facilities Fund, (formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Fund), is the primary means of providing Government funding to sport and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The Programme aims to foster an integrated and planned approach to the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and assists the purchase of non- personal sports equipment.
The club referred to by the Deputy was provisionally allocated €8,045 from the 2023 round of the Community Sports Facilities Fund towards a boxing ring and equipment. The grant was formally approved on 4 February 2025 and an email was sent to the club outlining the steps required to draw down the grant. The club has not yet uploaded any of the documentation requested. The Department is available to assist the club if required and correspondence should be addressed to sportscapitalprogrammes@ccs.gov.ie.
Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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372. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the Carhookeal running track in Mallow, County Cork, and the status of its LSSIF application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31611/25]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The 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 (formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme).
Grants totalling €173 million, benefiting 35 individual projects were allocated under the second round of the LSSIF in November 2024. With this announcement, the cumulative investment from the LSSIF since 2020 now reaches €297 million.
Cork County Council made an application for funding under LSSIF 2024 in order to develop an athletic running track at Carhookeal, Mallow that would meet IAAF standards. The works also include a car park, flood lighting and street lighting. They were successful in their application and were awarded €2 million in funding.
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 project promoters.
Once the project has cleared all approval gates the Department will proceed to contract stage and the project can proceed.
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