I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Government funding made available for the development of sport and the provision of sport and recreational facilities has risen to £117 million for 2001. Included in this provision is an amount of £65,376,000 for the development of Sports Campus Ireland at Abbotstown.
Under the sports capital programme administered by my Department, applications for funding were invited by way of public advertisement on 15 and 17 December 2000 with the closing date for receipt of applications under the 2001 programme being 9 February 2001. Until all applications have been received and assessed, it will not be possible to state the value of applications and the level of grants to be allocated to projects under the 2001 programme. I intend to make allocations under this programme as soon as all applications received under the programme have been assessed in accordance with the guidelines, terms and conditions of the programme. An amount of £20 million is provided in the Estimates for expenditure in 2001.