Sports Capital Programme Expenditure

Thursday, 18 July 2013

Questions (769)

Sandra McLellan

Question:

769. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has had any discussion with the Department of Education and Skills regarding the potential for using that Department’s capital building programme as an opportunity to increase the provision of sporting facilities in local communities, in particular youth sports facilities, through co-location of sports facilities with educational campuses; if he envisages any savings that could be made to his Department's capital expenditure in that regard; if he will outline those savings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36426/13]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Michael Ring)

The Sports Capital Programme is the Government’s primary vehicle for supporting the development of sports facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment.

The Sports Capital Programme actively encourages the sharing of facilities between different sports organisations and also between schools/colleges and sports groups. For the most recent round of the Programme in 2012, significant extra marks were awarded at assessment stage to schools/colleges that showed that facilities would be available to local sports groups outside of school/college hours and also to clubs that could show that their facilities would be available to schools/colleges.

As the Sports Capital Programme is always over subscribed, with applicants seeking multiples of the funding available and with all of the available funding fully allocated, it is not clear how any savings could be realised from the Deputy's proposal.