Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 4

Written Answers. - Sports Capital Programme.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

50 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the moneys which will be available from his Department for the development of sports facilities in 2001; and if he has adequate resources to meet the various requests being made to him for funding. [15651/01]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

The national lottery funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, provides funding to voluntary sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level towards the provision of sport and recreational facilities. Under the 2001 programme I have received 1,467 applications requesting total funding of £221.6 million. They are currently being evaluated against the programme's assessment criteria which are outlined in the guidelines for the programme. As soon as the assessment of the projects has been completed, I will be in a position to finalise the overall budget for this year's allocation.

In the past three years, 1998 to 2000 inclusive, this Government has allocated grants to the value of £62 million approximately to in excess of 1,300 projects. Compared with the three year total of £18 million in allocations by the previous Government in the period 1995 to 1997, the commitment of this Government to the provision of funding for sport and recreation facilities nationwide is clear, particularly when consideration is made of other sports facilities funding administered by my Department. These include the local authority swimming pool programme – under which the Government has provided £45 million funding over the three year period 2000 to 2002, effectively increasing the annual budget from £3 million per annum to £15 million over the period; the national 50 metre swimming pool at the University of Limerick – currently under construction and due to be opened later this year. The total cost of the pool is £5.95 million. Provision to enable capital grant payments to be made to develop the pool in 2001 is £5.097 million which includes £197,000 towards annual running costs associated with the pool; and sports-campus Ireland – provision to enable capital payments for campus and stadium Ireland in 2001 is £32 million, consisting of £30 million capital and £2 million current.

The greatly increased funding for sport provided by this Government has resulted in a considerably enhanced quality and range of top class facilities from national level to local community clubs and centres. The further increase in the sport budget in 2001 to £83 million from a figure of £13.5 million in 1997 will,inter alia, enable me to continue the work of providing a network of high quality, appropriate and sustainable sport and recreation facilities countrywide.

Question No. 51 answered with Question No. 7.