Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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154. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number and details of capital projects affected due to the €11.5 million underspend in 2023 of the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, with only 21% of its original approved capital funding being spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34915/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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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 Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, now known as the Community Sports 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 most recent, second, round of the LSSIF, grants totalling €173 million, benefiting 35 individual projects, were announced on 4 November 2024. With this announcement, the cumulative investment from the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund since 2020 now reaches €297 million. A full list of the LSSIF projects is available on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/campaigns/large-scale-sport-infrastructure-fund-lssif/

The high rate of inflation since the initial announcement of LSSIF grants has been well documented, particularly construction inflation. Many grantees have since re-engineered their projects to manage rising construction costs, which resulted in delays in commencing and progressing projects. My Department’s officials are working closely with grantees to progress their projects.

It is expected that several round 1 (2019) LSSIF projects are due to be completed this year or significantly progressed. These include the Connacht Rugby Sportsground, Munster Rugby Centre of Excellence, Charlesland Athletics Track, Askeaton Pool & Leisure Centre, Renville Sports and Community Centre, phase 3 of the Munster Technological University Community Sport Project, East Galway Sports Campus, Enniscorthy Sports Hub, Meath GAA's Páirc Tailteann, RDS Main Arena Redevelopment, St. Thomas's Community Multi-Sports Complex, and phase 2 of Waterford GAA's Walsh Park.

In addition, the following LSSIF Round 1 design elements are due to be completed or significantly progressed this year: Cavan Regional Sports Campus, Dalymount Park redevelopment, iRos Roscommon, and TU Dublin at Grangegorman Campus. The first two projects listed above have also received LSSIF Round 2 funding.

I look forward to a range of exciting and much needed LSSIF-funded facilities coming on stream in the months and years ahead.