Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
791. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if, in relation to the sports capital funding programme, she agrees that funding would be best used for sport clubs that are available to all in the community; and if she will outline how common it is for private clubs to be allocated this funding. [37569/23]
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.
SCEP funding is only available to organisations that are run on a not-for-profit basis and that are owned and run on behalf of the members. In making allocations, priority is given to organisations that, inter alia, charge modest annual membership fees (typically less than €1,500 per annum) and that do not charge significant (typically over €1,000) once-off entrance fees. All applicants are asked to provide details of these fees at application stage and no allocations were made under the latest rounds to clubs that did not adhere to these limits.
Sports clubs and organisations must also be open for new members and must not have any restrictions on who may join or on who may obtain full membership. As per the application submitted under the 2020 round of the SCEP, the club referenced by the Deputy complied with these requirements. It should also be noted that while the club received a provisional allocation under the 2020 round of the SCEP, no funding has yet been paid out in respect of this grant.
