Martin Ferris
Ceist:62 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the extent to which his Department takes into consideration the need to promote social inclusion when awarding grants under the sports capital programme. [22494/03]
Ceisteanna – Questions (Resumed). - Sports Capital Programme.
The national lottery-funded sports capital programme administered by my Department allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. The main objectives of the programme, which is run on an annual basis, are: to develop an integrated and planned approach to the development of sport and recreational facilities; to assist voluntary and community organisations with the development of appropriate facilities in appropriate locations which will maximise use in terms of participation in sport and recreation; to encourage the multi-purpose use of facilities at national, regional and community level by clubs, community organisations and national governing bodies of sport; and to prioritise the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of facilities. In the last three years alone, a total of €97 million has been allocated under the sports capital programme to more than 1,000 projects in respect of the provision of facilities in disadvantaged areas. My Department continues to evaluate how best to provide for the needs of disadvantaged areas by providing sporting and recreational facilities and increasing participation under the programme.
For the 2003 programme, at the initiative of my Department and in consultation with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Area Development Management, the agency with responsibility for the administration of the RAPID programme, it was decided that only those areas that have been designated by Government for special support through the schemes administered by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs – RAPID 1, RAPID 2, the local drugs task forces and CLÁR – should be treated as disadvantaged areas. My Department is already involved in consultations with ADM and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on the prioritisation of sporting and recreational facility requirements in disadvantaged areas for the 2004 sports capital programme.
Under its expenditure review programme, my Department is currently conducting a review of the sports capital programme for the period 1999 to 2002. In the course of this review, which is nearing completion, an analysis of the allocation of grants was carried out, along with a survey of a proportion of those who applied during this period. The Deputy may also wish to know that the preliminary findings of a review of the sports capital programme for the period 1999 to 2003 being carried out by my Department show, inter alia, that many of the projects located in disadvantaged areas which were awarded grants under the programme, would not have been successful without the specific measures included in the sports capital programme to help prioritise such projects. It has also established that the high level of funding provided for this programme from 1999 to 2002 –€205 million – was a catalyst for securing funding under other social inclusion measures to ensure the provision of essential sports and recreational facilities in areas of disadvantage.
In 2001 and 2002 alone, more than €77 million was allocated to 815 projects located in areas of disadvantage, representing 58% of total funding provided. A survey conducted as part of the review revealed that 70% of respondents stated that support under the sports capital programme had made a difference in attracting participation from disadvantaged people. The improved targeting of RAPID projects under the sports capital programme has recently been singled out for praise by ADM and also by the RAPID national monitoring committee.
Does the Minister agree that the criteria for applicants, such as the one that rules out grants for clubs to purchase premises or sites, should be relaxed? In many instances, applicants from disadvantaged areas in the RAPID 1 and 2 and CLÁR programmes do not have the facilities available to them to act as collateral to secure a grant. The Shanakill and Rathoane estates in Tralee, on behalf of which John Mitchell's GAA club has applied, comprise 312 houses in which more than 500 young children are living. The Spa Road-Baloonagh estate, on behalf of which the Cumann Iosaif GAA club has applied, includes over 200 houses, with more than 500 children living there. These areas are disadvantaged and all qualify under the RAPID programme but their applications for the latest round of grant allocations were unsuccessful.
It beggars belief that the areas I have mentioned, which comprise the largest population centres in County Kerry, were unsuccessful in their applications. The same areas were successful when they applied for grants from other Departments. Part of the success is that an on-the-spot assessment was done by officials from the various agencies from which they had sought grants.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
The Deputy appears to be making a statement at Question Time.
In this instance, however, no practical assessment was done by officials from the Minister's Department. A proper practical assessment should be carried out, rather than reviewing written applications. Does the Minister agree that for areas that are unable to meet the criteria – primarily because they are disadvantaged, such as the areas to which I have referred, and because they do not have the 20% necessary to secure grants – the criteria should be relaxed so that such areas, which are most in need, can benefit? Given that the Minister is from County Kerry, I am sure he will appreciate the points I am making. He should consider relaxing the criteria so that the areas I have mentioned can qualify for grants in future.
I am aware of the areas to which Deputy Ferris has referred. I certainly agree with him that they come within the RAPID programme. As I understand it, there were three applications from Tralee under the RAPID programme, one of which was successful and the remaining two were not. My Department wrote to the unsuccessful applicants outlining the reasons their applications did not succeed. There are criteria to guide them in making the relevant assessments. I regret the two organisations in question did not receive grant aid on this occasion. They will have received letters from my Department setting out the reasons they may have been less helpful to their own cause. I hope they will be in a position to correct whatever errors may have been made and I hope they will reapply. I hope to announce the 2004 sports capital programme in the not too distant future. Their applications will receive every consideration when they arrive. Unfortunately, the assessment went against them on this occasion. I hope that whatever corrections need to be made will be made and that they are successful on the next occasion.
May I ask one supplementary question?
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
No, we have gone way over the allotted time.
It relates to a question that was not answered by the Minister concerning practical assessments.
An Leas-Cheann Comhairle
The Deputy will have to pursue it on another occasion. The problem is that some Deputies make long statements, which take up time that has been allocated for questions.
I will have a chat with Deputy Ferris later concerning his supplementary question.
Question No. 63 answered with Question No. 61.