Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

203. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if in advance of the next round of LSSIF funding, consideration would be given to introducing a time limit for drawing down funds in order to ensure the most effective use of spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54278/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) was established under the National Sports Policy, published in 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 (CSFF).

The aim of the fund 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 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 LSSIF since 2020 now reaches €297 million. A new clause was introduced in the 2024 scheme, which will ensure that if there has been no drawdown of any part of a grant within 2-3 years (timelines may vary from project to project), or before a new LSSIF round is announced, the grant offer will be deemed withdrawn.

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 determining the detailed spending allocations within my Department under the National Development Plan as recently agreed by Government.