Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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256. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to consider creating a school's stream within the sports capital grant, in which schools can individually apply for sports capital funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59621/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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One of the objectives of the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF) is to assist voluntary and community organisations, national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport, local authorities and Education and Training Boards and schools to develop high quality, accessible, safe, well-designed, sustainable facilities in appropriate locations and to provide appropriate equipment to help maximise participation in sport and physical recreation

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.

Funding for sports facilities in schools is primarily a matter for the Department of Education and Youth. Third level colleges, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and schools are eligible to apply for CSFF funding but can only do so jointly with sports clubs. Such applications must provide evidence of facility-sharing arrangements that will allow sports clubs to use the proposed facilities throughout the year when not in use by the school.