Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 November 2021
146. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the way the additional €65 million in sports funding through the Covid-19 investment programme will be disbursed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54978/21]
View answerOn 5th October 2021, Minister Martin and I were delighted to announce that additional current funding of up to €65 million will be available to support the sport sector this year. Allied to the additional current expenditure of €26.3 million already provided to Sport Ireland, a total of €91.3 million will have been allocated in additional current funding to support the sport sector in 2021.
This package is intended to support National Governing Bodies of Sport and sports clubs arising from the significant impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the sports sector, by providing specific funding support for the following sectors:
- Field Sport funding to support the main field sports, i.e. the FAI, the GAA and the IRFU;
- A Resilience Fund to support the other National Governing Bodies of Sport;
- A Sports Club Resilience Fund to support clubs from all sports;
- A Swimming Pools/Facilities Fund;
- A Resumption of Sport & Physical Activity Fund.
The funding will be invested through new grant schemes developed by Sport Ireland and the funding will be disbursed through the National Governing Bodies of sport.
Following the announcement, Sport Ireland invited applications for funding from National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships. The applications are now being reviewed by Sport Ireland and funding allocations will be announced in December.
