Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2021
218. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 20 May 2021, the progress of her Department's review of the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36555/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the National Sports Policy as published in 2018 provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The National Development Plan provided a capital allocation of at least €100m over the period to 2027 for the Fund.
The first allocations were made in January 2020 and approximately €86.4m has now been awarded to 33 proposals. The priority in the short term is to advance all of these projects. As it is now approximately 18 months since the first allocations were made however, and in view of the issues faced by grantees as a result of the Covid pandemic, it is timely to review progress on all projects. My Department is engaging with all applicants in this regard. As well as the progress on existing grants, the Review is considering whether additional grants should be awarded including grants to previously unsuccessful applications. The timing of any new call for proposals is also being considered. Any new allocations or a new call for proposals, will be dependent on receiving additional funding for the LSSIF following the completion of the review of the National Development Plan. It is expected that my Department’s Review of the LSSIF will be complete in the coming months.
