Vol. 529 No. 2
54 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the estimated value of projects planned by sports organisations here which were rejected by his Department for sports capital grants in 2000; and the amount that was allocated for such grants in the year 2000. [2497/01]
In 2000, under my Department's sports capital programme, applications for grants amounting to £183,301,876 were received in respect of projects with a total value of £382,995,422. I allocated a total of £36 million under the programme to 679 projects throughout the country, which was an increase from £20 million in 1999 and £6 million in 1998. The allocation under the 2000 sports capital programme is double the total amount of £18 million given by the previous Government over three years from 1995-97.
The allocations made under the 2000 sports capital programme includes almost £26 million to community and voluntary groups throughout the country towards the provision of local sport and recreational facilities, £7.5 million to local authorities towards the provision of major facilities, including a national indoor athletic training facility at Morton Stadium, Santry, to complement the existing outdoor athletics stadium and £2.35 million to a range of county GAA and FAI grounds throughout the country.
Will the Minister accept he cannot isolate the construction of a major development in this city, a national stadium, from the needs of sports organisations throughout the country? Will he accept that my figure of £857 million was the value of projects that applied for grants last year, of which he allocated £36 million, and that the £745 million was the value of projects rejected to almost 1,000 clubs? Will he confirm these figures are correct? Given that they are correct, will he balance the needs of clubs and organisations throughout the country with the vast investment he will undertake for the national stadium? He conceded here today that the project could cost up to £1 billion and that, if it does, what harm? Will the Minister accept this is the scale of demand throughout the country and will he confirm the figures I am producing are accurate?
I want initially to correct Deputy Allen. I stated categorically that the estimated cost to the taxpayer of the Sports Campus and Stadium Ireland was £550 million, of which £350 million will be required from the Exchequer. I stand by that figure. I do not know from where the Deputy obtained a figure of £857 million. However, the total cost of projects in the year 2000 was approximately £383 million and 697 projects were allocated funding. I return to the point that the average grant given to any project is £53,000. The Deputy, when serving as a Minister of State, scattered grants around like snuff at a wake and the average grant given during his tenure was between £10,000 and £15,000. He should recognise that it would take an ordinary community a lengthy period to raise £53,000.
In 2000 I allocated funding to 697 projects while 416 projects were given grants in the previous year. I was approached by representatives – many of them Members of this House – from each of these projects and we tried to prioritise matters to allow them to commence. All of those involved in the projects to which I refer promised that they would ensure that their work commenced and was duly completed. We had not done badly by the end of 1999, but we still managed to return between £4 million and £5 million. As we increase the number of projects to which we provide funding, the number of projects that fall by the wayside also increases because they are not able to employ the relevant developers or contractors to allow the work to proceed. In 2000, £36 million was allocated by the Department and, as already stated, all of this will not be used.
The Government will continue to fund local and small organisations, including GAA, rugby and soccer clubs, etc. However, that issue is separate to that which involves the funding of the national stadium. We are not diverting funding to the national stadium that would otherwise be given to these organisations. The smaller organisations to which I am giving the funding are unable to spend it. This is mainly due to the fact that there are not enough developers or contractors interested in doing jobs valued at £100,000, £200,000 or £300,000.
I reject the figures the Minister has provided. The figures I quoted came from a written reply to a parliamentary question on 10 October last year. Therefore, the figures he is rejecting are his own.
Does the Minister agree that most of the projects which cannot be commenced are not inhibited because those involved cannot find contractors, but because applicants who applied for £15,000 or £16,000 received an average of approximately £20,000 or £25,000 and the con tracts cannot proceed because of the major shortfall between the cost of projects and the grant allocated? Furthermore—
We must proceed to Question No. 55.
May I have an answer to my question?
Time is up, but I will allow the Minister to make a brief reply.
In 1995 and 1996, when Deputy Allen served as Minister of State, the grants given to these organisations totalled £3 million and £5.8 million, respectively. We have given grants amounting to £27 million and £36 million and £117 million will be spent this year. It is not for lack of funding, it is because there is a statutory requirement that each organisation must obtain either 20% to 30% of the money, depending on whether they are located in disadvantaged areas.
