Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022
226. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason there is a delay in releasing funds under the 2018 Sports Capital Programme to a club (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12932/22]
View answerAs previously outlined to the Deputy, the club to which the Deputy refers was provisionally allocated a grant under the 2018 Sports Capital Programme (SCP) for security fencing and the development of a natural playing surface. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the SCP, due to the value of the grants received by the club in the past, it was necessary to execute a Deed of Covenant and Charge in order to protect the public investment in the facility. These requirements were communicated to the club at provisional allocation stage and it was made clear that formal approval could not issue until the legal requirements were finalised.
The Department’s legal advisor, the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO), was in regular contact with the club’s solicitors in relation to outstanding documentation which was required to progress matters. The final piece of documentation necessary to complete the legal requirements was only submitted by the club’s solicitors last month. Confirmation was received from the CSSO last week that the legal requirements were now complete and formal approval issued to the club on Wednesday, 2 March. The club can now submit the documentation necessary to the Department to enable the grant amount to be drawn down and there will be no undue delay in processing any such request.
