Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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47. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider expanding his Department’s sports capital funding schemes to enable clubs to purchase land for development of playing facilities. [64346/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Sport and physical activity are hugely important to our collective wellbeing and health, so it is in our national interest to promote increased participation in sport and activity at all levels, locally and nationally.

Availability and ease of access to sports facilities, whether in a club setting, on public lands or in other amenity areas, is a key factor in drawing more people to participation in sport. Planning for future facilities’ needs, locations and types is a particular focus of our current Sports Action Plan.

However, the use to which lands are put is ultimately a matter for the relevant local authority and my Department does not fund the acquisition of land for sport and there are no plans to change this position.

Where land is in use for sport, my Department operates two relevant capital funding programmes, namely the Community Sports Facilities Fund (CSFF) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). In 2024 over a quarter of a billion euro was allocated to community sports clubs and facilities from the CSFF while grants totalling €173 million were awarded from the LSSIF. This is an all-time record investment level in sport in Ireland.

Given the challenges of increased demand and a growing population, I consider that there is real merit in the development of municipally-backed shared facilities and I encourage sports' National Governing Bodies and local authorities to collaborate in this regard.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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49. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if funding streams are available for large-scale community sports facilities for towns such as Arklow, which has a growing population of over 16,000 people and requires significant investment in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64358/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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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 Community Sports Facilities Fund (CSFF).

The first allocations under LSSIF 2018 were announced in January 2020 with €86.4 million awarded to 33 different projects. Additional funding of €37.6 million was allocated to 27 of these projects in December 2023, bringing the total awarded under LSSIF 2018 to €124 million.

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. As a result of the significant demand, a range of valid applications did not receive an LSSIF allocation at the initial allocation stage.

With regard to a future round of the LSSIF, I am committed to ensuring sustained investment in sports facilities to meet our ambitious goals for sports participation nationwide. The Programme for Government commits to maintaining sports funding to get more people participating in all levels of sport, particularly targeting cohorts in society where there are lower than average participation levels.

My current focus is on ensuring project delivery under the first two rounds of the LSSIF and this process will inform any decisions regarding the timing of a future round. No decisions have yet been made regarding the next round of LSSIF.