Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 30 and 37 together.

The Department operates two capital programmes for sport, namely, the community sports facilities fund, which is the new name for the sports capital and equipment programme, and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund.

The National Sports Policy 2018-2027, published by the Government, provided for the establishment of a new large-scale sport infrastructure fund to support bigger projects than would normally have qualified for the community sports facilities fund. The first allocations under the LSSIF were announced in January 2020, with €86.5 million awarded around the country. We gave top-ups last year to bring the total to €124 million. The large-scale infrastructure fund will deliver a number of exciting facilities in the coming months and years. Some of the applications are being assessed at the moment.

We commit to continuing the community sports facilities fund and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas and groups that are underrepresented in terms of participation. We have 3,210 applications at the moment and we announced, as part of that, €26 million in equipment-only grants in May. There are 102 clubs in Cork benefiting from that.

Subsequently, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and I announced €250 million to be made available for capital projects under the 2023 round of the community sports facilities fund, following our engagement with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe. This is a 50% increase on the previous round. The assessment of funding is at an advanced stage, including a total of 262 applications from County Cork, and we expect to announce allocations very soon.

Gabh mo leithscéal. That is my time on the clock, is it?

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