Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 May 2019
56. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of timelines for sports capital grant allocations including the large scale sport infrastructure fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22058/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2018 round of the Sports Capital Programme closed for applications on Friday 19th October last. By that deadline, a record 2,337 applications were submitted seeking a total of €162m in funding.
186 of these applications were for projects that were deemed invalid under the 2017 round of the programme that subsequently submitted corrected documents. These applications were assessed first and approximately €7m in allocations to 170 projects were announced on the 17th January.
Work has now been completed in assessing the new 2018 "equipment only" applications and allocations in respect of 466 equipment only applications were announced earlier this week. Full details are available on my Department's website.
In relation to other applications, for the first time, applicants who have submitted incorrect documentation under this round are being given the opportunity to correct their application during the assessment period. While there will be no undue delay in completing the assessment process, in view of the opportunity to correct documentation, the record number of applications received and the detailed information contained in each application, it is likely to take a number of months to have all applications assessed. Accordingly, I expect that it is likely to be September, at the earliest, before the full set of allocations under this current round of the programme are announced.
The Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund opened for applications on 19th November 2018 and the closing date for receipt of applications was 17th April 2019. 72 applications were received in total and my officials are currently undertaking an initial assessment of them. Details of all applications have been published on the Department's website.
In view of the detailed information contained in each LSSIF application, I am advised that it will take a number of months to have all of them assessed. Accordingly, I expect that it will be towards the end of this year before allocations are announced.
