Sports Funding.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 March 2004

Tuesday, 9 March 2004

Ceisteanna (195)

Jack Wall

Ceist:

282 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the plans his Department has to re-assess the guidelines of lottery funding to permit sporting organisations to make applications for funding to ensure such organisations can employ permanent staff to assist with the development of the particular sport that they represent in view of the shortfall of volunteers and the need for such associations to provide coaches, team leaders and so on for the development of the youth of the particular sport and areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7826/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Mr. O’Donoghue)

As I explained to the Deputy in my reply to Question No. 351 on 24th February last, under the sports capital programme funding is provided towards the capital costs of providing new facilities, the renovation-upgrading of existing facilities and the provision of permanently based sports equipment. A total of almost €267 million has been allocated to more than 3,500 sports facilities under this programme since 1998. The payment of salaries of personnel to manage these facilities does not form part of the programme and there are no proposals to provide for such support.

The Deputy will be aware that the Irish Sports Council, ISC, provides funding to the national governing bodies of sport towards sport development programmes. While an element of this funding is to meet the costs of administrative support for national governing bodies of sport and the local sports partnerships and specialist technical personnel by national governing bodies of sport, it does not extend to the employment of the personnel referred to by the Deputy. The budget of the Irish Sports Council has been increased from €13 million in 2000 to €30.75 million this year.