The Government has allocated almost €26 million of new funding for sports projects. It is the first round of money in four years and will allow clubs to build facilities or buy equipment, with a particular emphasis on clubs in disadvantaged areas. Further allocations of €4 million will be made to national and regional projects in the coming weeks.
Between 1998 and 2010, €140 per person was provided in sports capital funding across the country. However, the allocations to individual counties varied significantly. While the best performing county (Kerry) got €196 of sports funding per person, other counties only received a little over half of that. This time funding has been allocated on a per-capita basis to each county with a weighting for past performance.
A total of 2,170 applications were received, the highest number of applications ever received under the programme. These applications sought a total of €229 million in funding.
Some 615 projects will benefit from today’s announcement. The allocations include funding for: natural grass sports pitches, tracks and courts (including pitch drainage); floodlighting; artificial sports pitches, tracks, courts and multi-use games areas as well as security fencing and ball stop netting.
It includes the building or refurbishment of dressing rooms, showers and toilets, sports halls and gyms.