Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004
336 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the reason a grant which was promised by his Department to a club, details supplied, in County Limerick has not been awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17201/04]
View answerA grant of €100,000 was provisionally allocated to the club in question under the 2002 sports capital programme operated by my Department. Approval of grants under the sports capital programme are subject to recipients meeting the terms and conditions of the programme.
The club in question was advised in May 2002 of the conditions to be met and the documentation required by my Department to approve the grant. Among the conditions required is the execution of a deed of covenant and charge, which provides, inter alia, for a refund of grants in the event of the facility not continuing to be used for the purpose for which the grant was allocated. The deed of covenant and charge is invoked by my Department’s legal advisers, the Chief State Solicitor’s office, CSSO. Payment of the grant due can only proceed when the deed of covenant and charge is in place. The club’s solicitors are currently dealing with the CSSO in attempting to finalise the deed.
The grant cannot be formally confirmed or any payment made until all of the required documentation has been submitted to my Department and found to be in order. In addition to the first formal written notification in this regard in May 2002, the club was further advised in May 2003 and again in May 2004 of the other outstanding documentation required by my Department in order to have the grant confirmed. To date, this documentation has not been submitted.
