Vol. 495 No. 5
158 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the amount of funding available to his Department for the promotion of both major and lesser sporting and recreational activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20800/98]
The budget for sport in 1998, my first full year as Minister, will be almost double that of 1997. As there is no distinction made on the basis suggested by the Deputy funding for the promotion of sport and recreational activities is provided primarily by way of annual grants to national governing bodies of sport towards their administration and programme activity costs. This year I expect to allocate over £5.5 million to such bodies for this purpose.
Another £1.5 million is being made available towards the cost of programmes run by vocational education committees and other bodies, aimed specifically at increasing participation by various target groups in sport and recreation.
These monies are, of course, additional to the services offered by the Sports Council, the National Coaching and Training Centre and other initiatives undertaken by my Department, in support of the work of sports organisations, and also additional to the £9 million provided this year for the sports capital programme.
