Fine Gael Kildare South TD Martin Heydon has said that he has received confirmation from his colleague the Minister of State at the Department of Sport and Tourism Patrick O’Donovan that a new round of Sports Capital Funding is to open shortly.
“I am pleased that Minister with responsibility for Sport Patrick O’Donovan has been able to confirm that following the conclusion of the 2017 estimates discussion, funding has been secured for a new round of Sports Capital Grants for 2017.
“The Minister confirmed to me that when the new round of grants open, there will be a 2 month period for sports clubs to apply. Based on previous rounds of the programme, the assessment process will take a number of months to complete. He expects actual grant allocations will begin to be made during the Summer of 2017. More comprehensive details of the new round will be announced shortly.
“Fine Gael re-introduced the Sports Capital programme during the last Government and it proved hugely important to Kildare Clubs who received substantial grants to develop their facilities.
“This is positive news for the many clubs and sporting organisations around Kildare South who have plans for further development and can now be preparing for this new scheme. If any sport organisations have queries about the scheme or their plans, they can contact me at 045-487624 or by email to martin.heydon@oir.ie.”
ENDS
Contact: Martin Heydon
Notes to the Editor
Dáil Question
To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of progress on the next round of sports capital grants; when he will be in a position to confirm the details; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Martin Heydon.
For ORAL answer on Wednesday, 7th December, 2016.
Answered by the Minister of State for Sports and Tourism
Patrick ODonovan
REPLY
The Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is the Government’s primary vehicle to support the development of sports facilities and the purchase of sports equipment. The most recent rounds of the programme were in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
Following the conclusion of the 2017 Estimates discussions, a total of €52m has been provided for sports capital projects. This will meet all existing commitments under previous rounds of the Sports Capital Programme and Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. It will also allow for a new round of the of the Sports Capital Programme to be announced. In this regard, the new round will be open for applications by January at the latest. Based on previous rounds of the programme, the assessment process will take a number of months to complete. I expect that actual grant allocations will begin to be made during the Summer of next year, 2017. We expect to be announcing more comprehensive details of the new round shortly, hopefully before the Christmas break but in any event, not later than January 2017.