Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 October 2020
129. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht the procedure for the disposal or distribution of assets and equipment funded by the sports capital scheme in the event of the dissolution of a sports club; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28011/20]
View answerThe Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country.
Every grantee under the SCP provides the Department with a guarantee that the equipment or capital works funded will remain in sporting use for a minimum period of time. For large capital grants this guarantee is in the form of a deed of covenant and charge on the property of the grantee. For smaller capital grants and for equipment grants, a declaration is signed by the trustees/directors of the sports organisation.
For sports equipment, the grantee is required to keep the equipment in sporting use for a minimum of five years after the grant has been paid. For capital works, the minimum period of time to be kept in sporting use is 15 years.
If a grantee wishes to dispose of grant aided equipment prior to the end of the five year period the organisation is obliged to repay the unexpired value of the grant to the Department. As the primary aim of the SCP is to ensure that as many people have the opportunity to participate in sporting activity as possible, my Department is however, always willing to discuss the possible transfer of any such equipment to other sporting organisations in the area.
Accordingly, it is recommended that any organisation that is in danger of dissolution should contact the Sports Capital Programmes Division of my Department in the first instance to discuss a mutually acceptable solution.
