The national lottery funded sports capital programme which is administered by my Department allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country.
All applications under the 2003 sports capital programme were evaluated by my Department in accordance with the assessment criteria for the programme published in the guidelines, terms and conditions document which accompanied the application form for the programme. Following completion of the evaluation of the applications received by my Department under the programme, I announced provisional grant allocations on 25 July last, including one for €150,000 to St. Vincent's hurling, football and camogie club. The grant was given towards the provision of floodlighting at the club to allow for extended use of their facilities and is subject to the terms and conditions of that programme.
The sports division of my Department is currently in contact with the club with regard to facilitating the submission of the documents required for the draw down of this grant. The Deputy might also note that the club was previously allocated grants of €253,948 under both the 2000 and 2001 sports capital programmes, giving a total allocation of €657,896 in recent years to the club towards the provision of facilities for all its teams and players, in all playing codes.
The promotion and development of any individual sport is a matter for the national governing body for that sport, in this case Cumann Camógaíochta na nGael, for which funding is provided by the Irish Sports Council, the statutory body for the development of sport in this country.