Sports Capital Programme of €41m allocated to 891 projects

The GAA, FAI and IRFU are the chief beneficiaries of the €41 million in Sports Capital Programme funding for 2015 announced by the Government.

In total 891 projects around the country will benefit, with €34.96 million going towards local projects such as club and town training facilities, and €6.15 million going towards non-local projects such as county or provincial sporting projects.

This is the third round of the Sports Capital funding, allocated under Minister Michael Ring, following it's reintroduction in 2012: €31 million was allocated in 2012, €40.5 million provided in 2014, and the €41 million in 2015. A further €17 million was made through special allocations in recent years.

“The Sports Capital Programme ensures that as many clubs and organisations as possible have the facilities and equipment they need to allow the maximum number of people to get involved in a wide variety of sports,” said Ring.

“In addition to funding being provided to organisations such as the GAA, soccer, rugby, boxing and athletics, I am also funding equipment and facilities for more than 40 sports ranging from angling to weight lifting and a whole host in between.

“By investing in community facilities, these grants take the pressure off clubs and groups to fundraise themselves to provide for the upgrading and building of premises and allows coaches and other volunteers to concentrate on growing the sports they know and love.”

Dublin gets the largest overall allocation of €6,436,926, with Ring’s own constituency, Mayo, getting €1,325,307: other main beneficiaries were Cork (€4,521,318), Galway (€2,320,045) and Limerick (€1,268,107). Throughout the application and assessment process, an emphasis is placed on rewarding clubs and organisations that share facilities as well as on applications received from disadvantaged areas. This year, €14.5 million has been allocated to 305 projects that are located in or serve such areas.

The FAI have welcomed the announcement of €5 million in their direct funding, which does not include funding allocations for football projects that were applied for by local authority or community organisations. The funding for Irish football includes 95 local organisations which will receive €3,743,764, while nine regional affiliates benefited by €1,178,143.

Amongst the FAI affiliates which were successful in their application to the programme include: Athlone Town FC (€200,000), Limerick FC (€200,000) Salthill Devon FC (€200,000) and North Tipperary Schoolchildren’s League (€200,000).