Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2024
382. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when the sports capital funding allocations will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19241/24]
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.
The Scoring System and Assessment Manual for the 2023 round has been published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. These details can be accessed at gov - SCEP 2023 - Applications Received (www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/). The detailed assessment work has commenced and "equipment-only" applications are being assessed first. I hope to announce these "equipment only" grants next month. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with those allocations to be announced later.
