Finian McGrath
Ceist:374 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if Artane Beaumont Football Club can be assisted with maximum funding and advice (details supplied). [7737/03]
Written Answers - Sports Funding.
A grant of €130,000 was allocated to the club in question under the 2002 sports capital programme administered by my Department towards the construction of dressing rooms.
The grant was subject to the terms and conditions of that programme and among these was that, for a grant of more than €80,000, a requirement to legally insure 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. This legal agreement is invoked by my Department's legal advisers, the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO).
The CSSO is currently awaiting a reply to a letter sent to the club's solicitor on 18 February last in connection with what I have outlined. The release of funding cannot be sanctioned until the legal agreement has been finalised between the CSSO, the club's solicitor and the legal department of Dublin City Council, which owns the lands on which the project is located.
Pending this legal agreement, the club is advised to submit, to the sports unit of my Department, certificate(s) for payment and-or original invoices in respect of work completed on the project. Following receipt and certification of these by my sports unit, payment can then issue as soon as the necessary legal agreement is invoked.