Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2023
305. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the degree to which she and her Department have supported and continued to support the sport and recreational sector through the medium of sports grants or otherwise, whether further assistance is anticipated in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23972/23]
View answerI am committed to maintaining the significant support for sport witnessed in recent years and will continue to engage with Sport Ireland and other stakeholders in this regard.
In relation to my Department's direct responsibilities, the 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 2020 round of the SCEP closed for applications on Monday 1 March 2021 and by the deadline a record 3,106 applications were submitted. The final grants were announced on Tuesday 31 May last and the total allocation of €166.6 million represents the highest level of allocation ever made under the SCEP.
While the priority in recent months has been to advance the successful applications, which number almost 2,900, under the 2020 round to "formal approval" and grant drawdown stage, my Department continues to support and guide grantees from past rounds as they manage their grants.
Following completion of the appeal process, my Department commenced a full review of all aspects of the 2020 round of the SCEP. This Review has now been published and is available on the Department’s website.
Now that the Review has been finalised, I have asked my officials to draft the "Guide to Making an Application" for the 2023 round to reflect the recommendations in the Review. Once completed, the Guide will be published on my Department's website.
Furthermore, we are continuing to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to the launch of the next cycle of the SCEP. On foot of this engagement and when the new "Guide to Making an Application" is finalised, I will announce the exact date on which the next round of SCEP will open for applications.
