Vol. 503 No. 2
204 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the proposals, if any, he has to include the purchase of new instruments for bands under the national lottery funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9492/99]
Among 1,900 applications for assistance from the new sports capital programme are a number in respect of bands. Given the large number of applications and the level of work involved in evaluating them, I do not expect to be in a position to make final announcements on the 1999 round of grant allocations for some time yet.
Specifically with regard to the development of bands, I am concerned that, in the long-term the sports capital programme is not perhaps the most suitable mechanism for assisting and developing this popular and valuable activity. I have asked my Department to explore other possibilities for dealing with this sector, specifically in the context of formulating a future recreational policy. However, as an exceptional matter, I have asked my Department to examine the applications which have been received from bands in the context of the 1999 round of allocations under the new sports capital grants scheme, with a view to allocating some funding to worthy projects.
