Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 January 2022
89. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she expects the review into the large-scale sport infrastructure fund to be completed; and when new applications from local authorities for swimming pools will be accepted. [1745/22]
View answer119. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the position regarding the review of the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2524/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 119 together.
The Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) was launched in 2018 to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, including swimming pools, with at least €100m being made available over the period to 2027.
The first allocations under the LSSIF were announced in January 2020 and, thus far, approximately €86.4m has been awarded to 33 different proposals. The total funding applied for under the scheme significantly exceeded the amount available to allocate and it was not possible to allocate grants to many worthy projects.
While the priority in the short term is to advance all of the successful projects, as it is now two years since the first allocations were made, and in view of the issues faced by grantees as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects allocated grants. My Department has now met with all successful grantees and work is at an advanced stage in drafting the Review. I expect this work to be finalised shortly.
Once that Review is complete the scope for awarding any additional grants and the timing of any new call for proposals, including applications for new swimming pools, will be considered.
