asked the Minister for Education the total amount of grant paid to the National Community Games over the past three years; and if any conditions have been specified as to how the money should be spent.
6.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Community Games.
5.
asked the Minister for Education the amount of grant he intends to make available to the National Community Games this year.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to answer Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.
I am at present considering all applications from the sport bodies for grants for 1977, including the one from the National Community Games. I expect to announce my decisions on these applications in the near future. I cannot say at this stage, however, what any individual grant will be.
Grants were paid to the National Community Games during the past three years as follows: 1974, £3,500; 1975, £6,500; 1976, £7,000. The only condition attached to the making of these grants was that the money was to be spent on the administration and the running of the National Community Games.
Is the Minister aware that last year it cost £83,700 to finance the National Community Games? As £89,000 allocated for 1976 has not been used, would the Minister consider allocating part of it to the organising committee of those games?
I explained to the Deputy yesterday that the money carried forward from one financial year to the next is usually part of a fund set aside for special once-off projects. The National Community Games will get their grant out of the money voted, as happened in the last three years.
Is the Minister considering giving an increase of £3,000 on last year's figure? There is a lot of unspent money in the Department and I should like to ask the Minister if he would consider, in view of the emergency that has arisen in relation to those games, giving £50,000 of that £89,000?
I cannot at this stage say what any individual grant to any organisation will be.
In view of the fact that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister made a statement at the annual meeting of the National Community Games Council, will the Minister consider substantially increasing the grant to the committee organising those games?
I must repeat that I cannot say at this stage what any individual grant will be.
Will the Minister accept representations from this side of the House on the question of increasing that grant considerably?
I will accept representations from that side of the House or from this side, or indeed, from the National Community Games Council in relation to this matter. I am sure the representations by that council would be just as sincere and it is possible they would be founded on better facts that anybody here has.