Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2020
226. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which an association (details supplied) will distribute additional funding provided to grassroots football clubs. [15368/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that on 30 January, the then Government approved the allocation of additional funding of €2.9 million per annum to the organisation mentioned, for football development in the period 2020 to 2023. Together with the restoration of Sport Ireland programme funding of €2.9 million, this brings the total funding approved for the organisation to €5.8 million per annum up to 2023.
The organisation has committed to implementing certain priority recommendations on governance reform and Sport Ireland expects to be in a position to restore funding to the organisation when these commitments are verifiably honoured. The funding will be allocated to the organisation by Sport Ireland and the further distribution of the funding to its clubs will be a matter for the organisation itself.
The Deputy will also be aware that an additional funding package of up to €70 million was announced on 19 June to support the sport sector, which has been significantly impacted by Covid-19. This includes an amount of up to €40 million to support the three main field sports organisations, i.e. the GAA, the IRFU and the FAI.
The allocation of funding to the organisation mentioned by the Deputy and its affiliated clubs has not yet been determined. This additional funding will be invested through new grant schemes which are currently being developed. It is expected that the precise terms of each of the new grant schemes will be announced by Sport Ireland later this month.
Sport Ireland will announce an open invitation to applications from funded bodies for assistance under the grant schemes.
