Written answers

Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Departmental Funding

Photo of James GeogheganJames Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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3472. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of the capital funding programmes or grants which his Department or any body under his aegis has responsibility, for which sporting organisations are eligible to apply for; the details of any funding programme or grant that is currently open or the date when a subsequent prospective funding programme or grant is scheduled to be opened for which a sporting organisation is eligible to apply for, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43173/25]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The main source of state funding for sporting organisations is through Sport Ireland and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. That Department administers the Sports Capital Programme which is the primary vehicle for government support for the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country.

While my Department has no specific funding streams aimed at sports clubs, some schemes administered by my Department accept applications from sporting organisation in the context of their role as community and voluntary organisations, and in terms of their provision of community infrastructure. Any funding is subject to meeting the relevant conditions of the funding scheme, which can change from one call to the next.

Examples of such programmes are the LEADER Programme, the CLÁR Programme, the Local Enhancement Programme and the Community Recognition Fund. A number of sports clubs and leisure facilities have successfully obtained funding from such schemes, often in terms of their input to community development within their area, and I would encourage all potential applications to explore these funding options. Full details of each of these programmes, including how to apply for funding, are available from my Department's website at

Photo of James GeogheganJames Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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3473. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of capital funding programmes or grants which his Department or any body under his aegis has responsibility, for which community organisations are eligible to apply for; the details of any funding programme or grant that is currently open or the date of when a subsequent prospective funding programme or grant is scheduled to be opened that a community organisation is eligible to apply for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43191/25]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department operates a large number of grant schemes that are available to community and rural groups throughout the country. These schemes include LEADER, the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF), the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS), the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), CLÁR, the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF). Full information on these and other schemes, including the opening and closing dates for active calls, are made available on the Department's website, at .

Information on the projects approved to date under our schemes, in tabular form, is also available at the above link. My Department also issues press releases for all calls and funding announcements on the relevant dates, which are also available on our website.

Since 2021 my Department has allocated over €1.5 billion for rural and community development projects and initiatives. The new 2025-2030 Programme for Government includes a range of commitments related to investment in rural Ireland, including the development of a new Rural Development Policy 2026-2030 and continued and strengthened support for schemes in the Rural Development Investment Programme.

I look forward to the continued positive impact of our schemes for communities right across the country, and I would encourage all groups to check my Department’s website , and to engage with their Local Community Development Committees, Local Development Companies and Public Participation Networks, to ensure they are aware of funding opportunities as they become available.

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