Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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145. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if additional funding will be made available to clubs and organisations successful on their sports capital funding applications with rising costs of construction works, meaning lower value in the funding approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34891/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Over a quarter of a billion euro was allocated to 3,048 community sports clubs and facilities in 2024 from the 2023 round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF), benefitting over forty sports, as well as multi-sport facilities, throughout the country. This represents the largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland.

Under CSFF 2023, applicants for local projects could apply for up to €200,000, increased from the previous maximum grant of €150,000. Maintenance equipment grants were capped at €40,000 and equipment grants of over €70,000 are only awarded in exceptional circumstances (such as to National Governing Bodies of Sport, NGBs). The maximum valid grant available for projects deemed to be of regional significance was increased from €300,000 to €500,000. In relation to capital applications, funding was distributed to both local and regional applications in line with the respective local / regional proportions of overall demand.

For regional capital applications, the top scoring 45 applications received at least 95% of their maximum valid grant and only the bottom scoring 2 applications received less than 50% of their maximum valid grant. For local applications, given the scale of funding available, recommended allocation amounts for valid applications were calculated using the Pobal index of deprivation as the primary calculation factor. The 500 applications from the most disadvantaged areas received a minimum of 90% of their maximum valid grant and only 1 application received less than 50% of the maximum valid grant.

There are no plans to provide additional funding before the next round. 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 CSFF. However, I would anticipate that the next round should be announced in 2026.