Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
572. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she expects the next round of sports capital funding to be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14660/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday, 8 September 2023. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications. The total number of 3,210 applications exceeds the record number submitted under the last (2020) round.
The "Scoring System and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round has been finalised and published along with a list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. These details can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/. The necessary assessment work has commenced and it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations to be announced later.
After every recent round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, a review is undertaken with a view to making recommendations on how to improve the programme and the process for future calls. When a review of the current 2023 round has been completed consideration can then be given to the timing of a further round of the SCEP.
