Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
714. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the present status of an application under the large scale sports infrastructure fund (details supplied); whether a further announcement will be made in relation to this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1225/24]
View answerThe National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of the LSSIF is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects where the Exchequer investment would be greater than the maximum amount available under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP).
The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to Local Authorities and National Governing Bodies of Sport. New swimming pool projects and the refurbishment of existing swimming pools were eligible to apply for a LSSIF grant funding subject to published guidelines. The first allocations under the LSSIF were announced in January 2020 with €86.4 million subsequently awarded to 33 different projects which included a project proposal from Galway City Council for the construction of a new swimming pool in Knocknacarra, Galway City. €8,003,415 was allocated to the Galway Regional Aquatic and Fitness Centre project.
Subsequently, following engagement with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and in recognition of challenges in recent years, such as construction inflation, officials in my Department wrote to all LSSIF grantees, including Galway City Council regarding the Galway Regional Aquatic and Fitness Centre project, inviting them to apply for additional support by 4 August 2023. 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 providing evidence-based documentation to support their application. Galway City Council did not apply for additional LSSIF funding for this project.
Minister Martin and I recently announced additional funding amounting to a total of €37.6 million, with 27 existing LSSIF projects benefitting, bringing the total awarded to date to LSSIF funded projects to €124 million.
