While in the past the rate of drawdown of grants under my Department's sports capital programme was slow, there has been a considerable improvement in recent years and during this year in particular.
The procedures in place for the drawdown of grants under my Department's sports capital programme reflect the recommendations of a major review of the programme, completed in December 1998, and I am satisfied that these procedures are appropriate and in keeping with standards of good practice in relation to the provision of Government funds to assist in the development of capital projects.
However, I am aware that in a number of cases each year delays are still arising on the part of the grantees themselves in a variety of ways, for example, through delays in supplying information and legal and other documentation requested by my Department. Before making their applications, grantees should be fully aware of this requirement through the guidelines, terms and conditions of the programme issued to them.