Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2024
379. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if, following recent press reports that have suggested a new sports capital grants scheme could be launched for schools, she will provide any further details on same. [19078/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.
Grants are available to voluntary, not-for profit sports clubs, community groups, National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs), and local authorities. It is also open to other bodies, philanthropic funders, clubs and voluntary organisations to apply but such applications would necessarily have to be made and prioritised by a local authority and/or an NGB
The latest round of the SCEP closed for applications on Friday 8 September 2023. 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, including many from schools, exceeds the record number submitted under the last round in 2020 and the total funding applied for is €359 million, representing an 80% increase over the amount applied for in the 2020 SCEP.
The Scoring System and Assessment Manual for the 2023 round has been 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 gov - SCEP 2023 - Applications Received (www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c0f6-scep-2023-applications-received/). The detailed assessment work has commenced and "equipment-only" applications are being assessed first. I hope to announce these "equipment only" grants next month. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with those allocations to be announced later.
I am confident that the revised National Development Plan capital allocations for my Department will allow for significant funding of the 2023 round of the SCEP. I expect that Minister Martin and myself will confirm the overall allocations for the 2023 round in the near future.
