Vol. 564 No. 5
234 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the various grants available from his Department to athletic and sports clubs in areas of disadvantage and areas covered by drugs task forces to fund their continued existence and to fund the purchase of equipment. [9437/03]
The national lottery funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level. Projects must be directly related to the provision of sport and recreation facilities and be of a capital nature which, for the purpose of the programme, is defined as: expenditure on the improvement or construction of an asset and includes any costs directly incurred in this process; and purchase of permanently based sports equipment, that means that it is securely housed, and will remain in use for five years or more.
235 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when the remainder of the sports capital grant approved for Knockavilla Kickhams GAA Club in County Tipperary will issue, as all requested documentation has now issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9451/03]
A grant of €25,395 was provisionally allocated to Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams GAA Club under the 2000 sports capital programme operated by my Department towards pitch development. The grant was subject to the terms and conditions of the programme and on the basis of documentation received from the club two payments totalling €19,000 have been made to date. The balance of the grant will be released when the club submits a certificate of completion from its technical supervisor and when an acknowledgement is received for a payment of €10,333 made to the club in February.
236 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the total amount of lottery funding made available to sports clubs in the Dublin area in each year over the past five years; the total allocation which his Department will make during 2003 for clubs in the Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9643/03]
The national lottery funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to projects which are directly related to the provision of sport and recreation facilities and are of a capital nature. Funding can be allocated to the following organisations under the programme: voluntary and community organisations, including sports clubs; in certain circumstances, schools, colleges and local authorities; and national governing bodies of sport and third level education institutions where it is evident that the proposed facility will contribute to the regional and/or national sporting infrastructure.
The funding allocated to sports club projects located in County Dublin in the past five years is as follows: 1998 –€1.58 million; 1999 –€6.47 million; 2000 –€15.58 million; 2001 –€13.91 million; and 2002 –€23.02 million.
In relation to the 2003 sports capital programme, I invited applications by advertisement in the national newspapers on 23 and 24 March. The deadline for receipt of completed applications is 25 April. I will decide soon on the level of project approvals to be authorised this year having regard both to the quality of the applications received under the 2003 programme and the pattern of grant drawdowns on foot of approvals made in earlier years.
