Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
287. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when the next round of the sports capital and equipment programme will open to new applicants; if the review of the previous round has been presented to her; if a budget for the next round has been agreed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18919/23]
View answerThe Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.
The final grants under the latest round were announced were announced on Tuesday 31 May last year and the total allocation of €166.6 million for the 2020 round represents the highest level of allocation ever made under the SCEP. The priority in the short term is to advance the successful applications to "formal approval" and grant drawdown stage and my Department continues to support and guide grantees from past rounds as they manage their grants.
With regard to the timing of the next round, following completion of the appeal process, my Department commenced a full review of all aspects of the 2020 round of the SCEP. A draft of the Review has been provided to me and I hope to publish the finalised Review shortly. Any recommendations arising from the Review will be reflected in the next round. My officials are engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the launch of the next cycle of the SCEP. Once this engagement is concluded, I will announce the exact dates from which new applications will be accepted. In relation to the funding available to allocate, I will continue to engage with my colleague, Minister Paschal Donohoe to maximise the total funding envelope available for the Programme in the years ahead. Clearly the level of demand will be a key determinant but every effort will be made to fund as many worthwhile projects as possible while providing a sufficient level of grant to ensure the projects are viable .
