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Sports Capital Programme Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018

Tuesday, 24 April 2018

Questions (82)

Pat Deering

Question:

82. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of invalid applications in the 2017 sports capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17759/18]

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Written answers

A number of measures were introduced for the 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme with the aim of reducing the level of invalid applications. These measures included a shortened application form, the organisation of a series of regional seminars for potential applicants and more online validation to prevent applicants submitting incomplete applications. These measures were largely successful and the invalid rate for the 2017 round of the programme was the lowest ever at 20%. This compares to the average invalid rate for previous programmes of 34%. While this was good progress, I am committed to lowering this figure even further for the next round of the SCP. In this regard, a review of the 2017 round has now been published on the Department's website which contains a number of suggestions. As previously raised by the Deputy, one of the measures being considered is contacting applicants during the assessment process to give them the opportunity to submit corrected documentation.

In addition, all of the applicants who remain invalid following the conclusion of the 2017 round of the SCP have been contacted and informed that under the next round of the SCP they will be given the opportunity to simply submit the corrected documentation needed to make their 2017 application valid, without the requirement of going through a full new application process. I expect that an announcement regarding the timing of the next round of the SCP will be made in the coming weeks.

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