Vol. 557 No. 3
179 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress in paying a lottery grant to a club (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if the application to draw down the fund will be expedited. [22074/02]
180 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when a lottery grant will be paid to a club (details supplied) in County Kilkenny under the community youth and recreation grants scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22075/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 180 together.
A grant of €63,487 was allocated to the organisation in question under the 2000 sports capital programme, administered by my Department. This allocation was subject to the terms and conditions of the programme and certain legal and technical requirements had to met by the club. The club was informed by letter from my Department dated 16 August 2000 of all requirements in order for them to be able to draw down the grant allocated.
In the case of the technical requirements, my Department has only recently received from the club the invoices from the contractor in relation to the project work and these have been forwarded to our technical advisers, the Office of Public Works – OPW – for certification. The legal requirement in this case, of which the club was also informed in August 2000, is for a deed of trust, which provides, inter alia, for a refund of the grant in the event of the facility not continuing to be used for the purpose for which the grant was allocated.
It is invoked by my Department's legal advisers, the Chief State Solicitor's office, CSSO. This deed is currently being processed by the CSSO and I understand that this is almost finalised. Payment of the grant cannot be sanctioned by my Department until both Office of Public Works and CSSO approval is received.
