Written Answers. - National Lottery Funding.
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:
13
Mr. J. O'Keeffe
asked the
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
if objective criteria are used as a basis for the allocation of national lottery funds by his Department; if so, the criteria involved; and if not, the basis on which such decisions are made.
[11154/03]
The national lottery-funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The 2003 programme was advertised in the national newspapers on 23 and 24 March 2003, inviting applications which must be received in my Department by 5 p.m. on Friday, 25 April next.
Applications received under the 2003 programme will be assessed by my Department in accordance with the published set of criteria outlined in the guidelines, terms and conditions for the programme, a copy of which is issued to prospective applicants with application forms. I am also forwarding a copy of this document to the Deputy for his information. These criteria have been developed to help assess applications so that those offering greatest community benefit are supported.
The criteria can be summarised as follows: the extent to which projects increase active participation and result in improved standards of sport – high priority is given to projects which are essential or integral to sports participation and to projects in disadvantaged areas; the financial viability of the project, higher rating is given to projects with a significant local contribution and those which demonstrate that the applicant will be able to maintain the project after completion; and the need to achieve an equitable geographical spread of funds and an equitable spread of funds among different sports and community groups; the extent to which applicants have consulted with other clubs, community groups, schools, the local authority and the national governing bodies in order to prioritise proposed improvements and facilities.
The assessment process takes into account: the extent to which the project, in terms of growth targets, will increase the levels of active participation in sport and result in improved standards of sporting performance and how such increases can be measured; the extent to which the project, in terms of growth targets, will serve to increase participation in disadvantaged areas; the technical merits of the project, for example, planning permission, site details supplied, freehold or leasehold title, drawings and specifications supplied and costings made available; the financial viability of the project, namely, whether in addition to lottery funding, the club or organisation has sufficient funds or firm commitments for funding to complete the project within a realistic timeframe; the level of local funding available – higher rating is given to projects with a significant local contribution; given realistic projections of income from the project, the extent to which the applicant will be able to maintain the project after completion; the level of socio-economic disadvantage in the area and the current and planned levels of sport and recreational sport facilities in the area; the need to achieve an equitable geographical spread of funds, having regard to the range of existing facilities in each county; the extent to which applicants have consulted with other clubs, community groups, schools and the local authority in developing their proposals and the outcome of these consultations; in the case of projects aimed at attracting people from disadvantaged areas, the strategies to be used to attract them; the need to achieve an equitable spread of funds among different sports and community groups; the priority of proposed improvements or facilities in relation to the club's or organisation's existing facilities; and the priorities for their individual sports, as identified by the national governing bodies; the existing levels of facilities in an area; the strategic positioning of major facilities which may be required; and the quality of applications received for such projects.
Applications under the programme are received from organisations for local, regional and national facilities. Each year, a number of major municipal, regional and national projects are allocated funding in accordance with the programme's criteria, following consultations with the Irish Sports Council, other Government Departments and the relevant national governing bodies of sport and local authorities, as appropriate, in relation to their respective priorities for the provision of sporting facilities.
All applications are treated on their merits and highest priority is afforded to projects in disadvantaged areas aimed at increasing participation. High priority projects include those which are essential or integral to sports participation or performance, for example pitch development, floodlighting, dressing rooms and showers.
Following the assessment process each application receives a score, which decides its order of priority within its own county. Recommendations, based on conclusions from this process and having regard to the amount of funding available for distribution, are made to me, and I make the final decision on projects and grants to be allocated under the programme. I intend to announce the grant allocations for the 2003 programme as soon as possible after the assessment process has been completed.
Question No. 14 answered with Question No. 10.
