Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Dec 1993

Vol. 437 No. 4

Written Answers. - National Lottery Funding.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

112 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment the total amount of money from the proceeds of the national lottery which has been distributed by his Department; and the total amount of such moneys that has been allocated to community, sporting and voluntary bodies.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

113 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment the total amount of money made available to his Department from the proceeds of the national lottery since 1 January 1993; and the uses to which this money has been put.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.

Since 1988, funding has been provided through my Department from the national lottery surplus for the following purposes: the payment of grants which were allocated in 1988, 1990 and 1991 under the amenities/recreational facilities grants scheme; the payment of grants since 1991 for the provision and renovation of swimming pools; the payment of grants since 1988 in respect of the local authority library service; and the payment of grants since 1991 for the provision of communal facilities in voluntary housing projects.

The total amount paid in the years 1988-92 inclusive and the amount provided in 1993 for each of the above services is set out in the following table:

	Paid 1988-1992	Provision for 1993
	£	£
Amenities Grant Scheme	14,748,531	1,671,000
Swimming Pools	1,267,153	1,183,000
Libraries	12,647,500	1,850,000
Voluntary Housing	785,882	500,000

Schedules listing the grants allocated under the amenities grants scheme are available in the Oireachtas Library. Grants for swimming pools, libraries and voluntary housing are allocated to local authorities. However, in the case of voluntary housing, such grants are advanced by local authorities to approved voluntary housing bodies.