John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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53. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on funding opportunities to support youth sports clubs and facilities in Cork northwest, particularly in smaller communities where volunteers are struggling to maintain local pitches, halls, and equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63983/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF) is the primary means of providing Government funding to sport and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The Fund aims to foster an integrated and planned approach to the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and assists the purchase of non- personal sports equipment.

Among the Fund's objectives 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 €277 million 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. This included funding to maintain local pitches, halls, and equipment. In the 2023 round of the CSFF over €29 million was allocated to 344 sporting projects in Cork and almost €54 million has been allocated to 830 sporting projects in Cork over the last 3 rounds.

In line with previous rounds of the Fund, a review of the current funding round is being undertaken which will be completed in the coming months. I have asked my Department to prepare for a further round of the CSFF in 2026. It is anticipated that the next CSFF round will particularly target areas and sports that have been under-invested in over the years.