Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 October 2023
2. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the Government will consider reintroducing a large-scale sport infrastructure fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45984/23]
View answerI ask that the Government consider introducing a new large-scale sports infrastructure fund and I ask the Minister to make a statement on the matter.
The national sports policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF. The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and national governing bodies of sport. All applications were assessed in accordance with the published evaluation procedures and guidelines and the first allocations were announced in January 2020. Thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals. Details of all allocations, a number of which are in Galway, are on the Department's website.
The first LSSIF allocations were announced just prior to the arrival of the Covid pandemic. The pandemic obviously gave rise to financial challenges for all grantees with many of them having to reprioritise their own expenditure plans due to reductions in their income streams. In more recent times, the high level of construction inflation has also presented considerable challenges for grantees.
In light of these issues, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects allocated grants and meetings with all grantees have taken place. It is encouraging that, based on these discussions with grantees, a majority of the 33 projects should be in a position to draw down funding in the next 12 months. While this progress is very welcome, these discussions also confirmed that some projects in receipt of LSSIF grants may not proceed in the short to medium term.
Following engagement with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and in recognition of the challenges I mentioned, officials in my Department wrote to all LSSIF grantees inviting them to apply for additional support by 4 August. To be considered for additional funding, grantees were advised that the key elements of the project should remain as set out in the original application and that priority would be given to those who provide evidence-based documentation to support their application. I hope to be in a position to announce further allocations to grantees in due course to ensure that all existing LSSIF projects are advanced.
With regard to a possible new round, I am determined to see continued investment in sports facilities in order to ensure we achieve our ambitious targets for sports participation. Accordingly, I will continue to engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on the funding required to underpin any new round.
I welcome the Minister of State's response. As the Minister of State said, in 2020 the large-scale sports infrastructure fund awarded over €86 million to 33 projects across Ireland. This was a very welcome innovation by the Government at the time and ensured that many clubs and sporting organisations were able to develop ambitious plans to improve sporting facilities and increase access for all ages, groups and ability levels.
Many sports clubs and organisations around the country are looking to build large-scale facilities but with a cap of €200,000 on funding available under the sports capital and equipment programme unfortunately, many projects simply cannot go ahead as the shortfall between funding available and fundraising capacity is just too great. Given that the Government has set a target of increasing the percentage of people participating in sports from 40% to 60% by 2027, I would ask that the Government would seriously consider introducing a new large-scale sports infrastructure fund.
I support Deputy Grealish. The large-scale sports infrastructure fund has been very important and we should have another large-scale sports infrastructure fund as soon as possible. The Minister of State will be familiar with one club in the north west, Sligo Rovers, a co-operative venture owned by the people of Sligo and surrounding areas. They want to apply along with many others in my area. It would be very good to have this sports fund set up.
I know my own local League of Ireland team will be playing in Sligo the weekend after next. Who knows, maybe we will catch up there. I do not know just yet but I certainly have interest in that.
We want to see another large-scale sports infrastructure fund go forward but we also want to see projects built. One of the flaws with the previous programme was that many of these projects were not built. Galway has a number of projects, one of which I do not know the status of, namely, the Galway regional aquatic and fitness centre. It is in a category of site difficulties delays etc. The Deputy could inquire with Galway County Council. My officials are engaging. Others are the New Inn sports campus and the sports community centre in Renville. I visited the club in Renville and I know the people there are determined to see it. That is undergoing due diligence at the moment, which has to happen for grant-aided projects of this nature. We want to see this happening and we hope to be announcing further funding for those who applied in due course.
I welcome the support of Deputy Feighan. In Galway alone, there were three projects as the Minister of State mentioned. The proposed €20 million project for Connacht Rugby has actually started and a new surface has been put on the pitch. The project in Renville and Oranmore is being prepared to go out to tender. They have raised over €1 million locally to get that project over the line. I compliment the people in Oranmore. More than 10,000 people live in the area. The project covers 35 acres comprising four pitches, and includes a walkway and a greenway. Those two projects have benefited from the large-scale sports infrastructure fund. They would not have happened but for that fund. I compliment the Government on bringing that forward at the time. I would like to see another fund introduced. Sport plays a major part with our young people. An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, Deputy Canney, is involved in a major project in Tuam with the Tuam stadium. I am sure funding from a large-scale sports infrastructure fund would benefit that immensely. I ask the Minister of State to look at it seriously. It could be done every two to three years; I would welcome that.
On a point of clarification, Sligo Rovers will play the Minister of State's club, Drogheda United, on 28 October at 6 o'clock. When he comes to visit his in-laws, he and the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, are more than welcome to call in.
I did not mention the Connacht Rugby project, which is one of the most significant ones. The thinking in the Department about any new round should be borne in mind by anyone considering it because there is considerable work to do. Any facilities that we will be funding in the future, including the top-ups, will need to have published policies on similar access to facilities for men and women. That is an innovation I introduced. It is absolutely necessary and when we award grants, clubs will be required to set that out so that the women and men can see this is a fair division of the facilities. That is for every project.
If we are granting significant amounts of money to a particular project in an area in the future, we will need to think very hard about other sports being involved. They should not just be allowed to use the facilities, as has been required in the sports capital projects for forever and a day, but should be integrated and part of a joint venture. Those types of projects will find favour in any future round of sports capital funding.
