Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

12. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for an update on the sports capital grants; the number of clubs in Cork city and county that have applied; when an announcement will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36485/24]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

30. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if, given Ireland's success at the 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, she agrees there is a need for a significant increase in public investment in grassroots sports, playing pitches, facilities and sports clubs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37009/24]

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

37. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for an update on the latest round of the sports capital and equipment programme and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36871/24]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I ask the Minister for an update on the sports capital grants and the number of clubs in Cork city and county that have applied, and when an announcement will be made.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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?

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Yes, but you do not need to take it all-----

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I will not because there is not a whole lot more to say about this that I have not said already. I can follow up on the supplementary questions.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State could share the time among us.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

A total of €250 million is a phenomenal amount of money, and many clubs across Cork city and county eagerly await it. As the Minister of State mentioned, there have been 262 applications from County Cork. I know he is familiar with a number of them. His predecessor visited a number as well. To mention just a few, there is Leeside AFC, Rockmount, Riverstown, Castleview, Ballincollig Basketball Club, which other Deputies here might have an interest in as well, and Ballincollig Rugby Club.

Will the Minister of State take us through this? Ultimately, with any process and programme, particularly with funding like this, there may be a few disappointed clubs whenever the announcement is made. Could the Minister of State talk us through any appeal mechanism that would be afforded to those that might not get the news they expect in the coming weeks?

I might come back in on the LSSIF in a further supplementary question.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I mentioned earlier the tremendous success of Jack Marley in the Olympic Games and, previously, in winning gold and silver at European level. I should also mention Robin O'Reilly, who is 14, also from Monkstown Boxing Club. She started boxing when she was ten and has just won a bronze medal at European level. The important thing about that is that success is down to a club that was built in a very disadvantaged area and had to fight a very long time - more than two decades - for decent facilities. Finally, it will have a new clubhouse. However, clubs should not have to fight that much to unlock that talent, the tremendous talent and pride that Jack, Robin and many of the other boxers are now giving to the local area. Contrast that with, for example, Ballybrack, another disadvantaged area boxing club, which is having to do GoFundMe appeals online for boxing gloves, basic equipment, when it is trying to emulate that success, or many clubs that might not be at that very high level - I mentioned Sallynoggin Pearse earlier - or that serve older footballers and that want to do more of a community-type operation but are struggling to get support from the council. There needs to be, as I said earlier to the Minister of State, a more proactive approach to help those in disadvantaged areas, who often will not even know about the schemes that are out there or will find it difficult to deal with the bureaucracy but need help and support.

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I will follow up on Deputy Boyd Barrett's contribution because that is pretty much exactly what I want to say. Although we have Croke Park in my area, we do not actually have a great many GAA clubs. That is why areas like Cabra, for example, have Naomh Fionnbarra, which is literally the centre of our community. It runs festivals. It is the place where the community gathers and it is so important to us. It might be useful to speak to how impactful that is when making some of these decisions. We also have a number of very important boxing clubs and football clubs, which have an outsized importance in our community. I refer to the like of Bohemians, Sheriff Youth Club and Dingle United, which really struggle, do not necessarily have community-based supports and resources and really need the backup of the Department.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As regards Deputy O'Sullivan's point on the appeals, there is an appeals process for disappointed clubs. Every valid application will get a grant. There may be some which are marked invalid, and they will have the chance to appeal that. That will be announced at the time we make the launch.

As regards Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, disadvantaged areas are prioritised in this programme. We did reach out to the Football Association of Ireland and the Irish Athletic Boxing Association to encourage them to get their clubs to apply because it is possible for clubs to apply for equipment. The local club to me, the East Meath Boxing Club, applied for a new ring and got 100% funding for it. I therefore certainly encourage clubs to do that. There are people within the associations who help clubs but also in the local sports partnerships. We try to simplify the form as much as possible to make it possible for everybody to apply. We are, in response to Deputy Hourigan, encouraging the local authorities to make a more proactive approach to providing sports facilities. I did detect a difference in attitude in Dublin City Council in that regard. I have had a couple of meetings now with the new city manager, and he is very proactive.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

We are running out of time now and there are two supplementary questions left, so I ask Members to please be brief.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I will be brief. I have just three short supplementary questions for the Minister of State. The first is about the LSSIF, which he spoke about in his statement. Could he give us the detail of the number of applications for the LSSIF in Cork city and county, now if he has the figures with him or later? Could he give us the number of drawdowns to date since the 2020 allocation, just so we can see what is outstanding?

My third question - again, the response to this can be provided in writing afterwards - is to ask the number of applications for regional funding under the sports capital grant, again in Cork city and county. The Minister of State may not have the detail and might not be able to declare it today, but maybe after the announcement of the next round of the sports capital grants, he might supply the number of those regional applications that were put back into the general pot for the grant and demoted to it.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Dick Shakespeare was my manager in UCD when we won the Collingwood Cup in soccer. He has an interest in soccer and I am glad to hear that positive response in Dublin city. That needs to be generalised everywhere. There has also got to be a focus on clubs which have a particular community remit. It is not just about the high performance stuff, although that can be important, as we have seen with Monkstown Boxing Club, but also the community remit. Sometimes, it is about thinking outside the box in terms of supporting clubs in which sport is just one part of what they are trying to do at a community level. They are looking for both community and sport facilities, while trying to encompass women and men and so on in them. Sallynoggin Pearse is a particular example. I hope I have said that enough times for the Minister of State to hear it and for it to be passed up the line that it is looking for a particular type of facility.

The question of the control of facilities is often a point of argument between local authorities and clubs.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy is over time.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Local authorities should not be so controlling when we are talking about the development of facilities.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have a supplementary from Deputy Feighan. He must be brief.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne for the work they have done. It is great to see €250 million in this capital grant. I remember the first time my local club got its first sports capital grant back in the late 1980s. We got £20,000 and we were absolutely delighted. That £20,000 made a difference in the area. This is happening in every town and village around the country. It is very welcome.

There are a lot of clubs in my constituency of Sligo, Leitrim, north Roscommon and south Donegal that are anxiously waiting for this news next week. I hope and believe it will be good news. Under the LSSIF, my local club, Sligo Rovers, is very anxious to get funding as well. The Carrick regional sports campus is also looking for a lesser allocation. Hopefully this will be good news. I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for their great work for ensuring we got extra funding to be able to satisfy all the clubs that will apply.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

We are out of time. Does the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, wish to make any concluding remarks?

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank everyone who has been in touch. Most Deputies have been in touch about particular clubs in their areas. We will satisfy the demand under the community sports facilities fund, which is what we are now calling the sports capital programme. Most clubs will be very satisfied with that.

As for large-scale projects – and I will get the figures at some point for Deputy O’Sullivan - there is a mismatch between the demand and the funding available. The demand is €660 million. The funding available is approximately €120 million. We are going to have to examine that carefully. They are being assessed at the moment.

In relation to regional projects, some entities have applied for regional funding, which deals with larger grants. Some will not qualify for that under the independent assessment process in the Department. While the appeals mechanism is open to them, we cannot open up regional funding to every single club and association because that would take away the point of it being for larger facilities to serve bigger areas.