Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2024
340. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on the response by South Dublin County Council (details supplied); to outline the facilities being proposed by governing bodies of sports and other sporting entities; to give a timeline of when these proposed facilities will be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17913/24]
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 latest round of the SCEP closed for applications on Friday 8 September 2023. Examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications. The total number of 3,210 applications exceeds the record number submitted under the last round in 2020 and the total funding applied for is €359 million, representing an 80% increase over the amount applied for in the 2020 SCEP. A list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received is published at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/
This list includes a number of applications for sporting facilities/equipment from South Dublin County Council as well as from clubs in the South Dublin area.
Furthermore, Minister Martin and I confirmed on 6 December 2023 that a new round of the Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) will open for applications in the first half of 2024, with the dates, terms and conditions to be published on the Department’s website imminently. While this programme is aimed primarily at the National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Authorities it was also open to other bodies, philanthropic funders, clubs and voluntary organisations to apply but such applications would necessarily have to be made and prioritised by a local authority and/or a national governing body.
On 3 April, Minister Martin and I published the ‘Review of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund’ and the new ‘Similar Access Requirement’. The review outlines the issues faced by LSSIF projects to date, and provides recommendations in relation to a new round of LSSIF. The five recommendations include population and sustainability criteria, reducing administrative overheads, the level of grant aid funding required to deliver projects, similar access for men and women and guiding principles in respect of Stadiums and Large-Scale Sports Facilities.
The new Similar Access Requirement necessitates that recipients of LSSIF funding must accommodate the needs of women and men, on a similar basis, with respect to accessing the facilities that have been allocated public funding. Any organisation that is in receipt of LSSIF funding must have a similar access policy in place.
It is hoped that a new round of the LSSIF will be opened imminently. While intending applicants can review the guidelines and conditions of the programme from LSSIF 2018, these are subject to change in LSSIF 2024. It should also be noted that the scheme does not allow for the purchase of land or buildings.
I would encourage eligible projects to consider applying for this competitive application process when it opens soon.
