Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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56. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he expects the application window for the community sport facilities fund to open; the amount of funding expected to be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52582/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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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), representing the largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland.

The Government recently published the National Development Plan, setting out total investment of €246.4 billion over the period 2026 - 2035 with sectoral capital allocations of €102.4 billion for 2026 to 2030 and a further €100 billion for 20230 to 2035. My Department is currently reviewing the allocations made to it and the quantum of funding available to sport will also inform future rounds of both capital funding programmes.

In line with previous rounds of the Fund, a review of the current funding round is being undertaken and that review will inform the timing of the next CSFF round. However, I would anticipate that the next round should be announced in 2026.

Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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57. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of the capital funding programmes or grants from his Department or any body for which he has responsibility for which sporting organisations are eligible to apply; the details of funding programmes or grants 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, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52211/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Community Sports Facilities Fund (CSFF) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).

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 CSFF, representing the largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland. Details of these allocations are available on the Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/collections/sports-capital-programme-allocations/

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.

In 2024, the second round of LSSIF received an unprecedented demand for funding. On 4 November 2024, grants totalling €173 million were awarded to 35 projects. Details of these allocations are available on the Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/service/6f3f3-large-scale-sport-infrastructure-fund-lssif-2024/#lssif-allocations. As a result of the significant demand, a range of valid applications did not receive an LSSIF allocation at the initial allocation stage.

My current focus is on ensuring project delivery under the first two rounds of the LSSIF, 2018 and 2024, and this process will inform any decisions regarding the timing of a future round. The timing will also be considered in the context of the spending allocations within my Department under the National Development Plan as recently agreed by Government.