Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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302. To ask the Minister for Culture, Culture, Communications and Sport if the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme can fund the purchase of land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67442/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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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. However, where land is in use for sport, my Department operates two relevant capital funding programmes, namely the Community Sport 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 a an all-time record investment level in sport in Ireland.