Department of Sport Capital Grants announced

Sparks

I'm surprised at myself for having missed this, but better late than never!
From the Dept. of Arts, Sport and Tourism:

PRESS RELEASE 21 July 2005

O'Donoghue announces over €54 million for Sports Capital Projects

Mr. John O'Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism today (Thursday 21 July 2005) announced that he has allocated €54.255 million to 624 sports projects around the country under the Sports Capital Programme administered by his Department.

Today's announcement brings to almost €386 million the amount allocated since 1998 towards the provision of facilities under the Programme. A total of 4,897 projects providing a range of essential sports facilities have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998.

The funding being announced today provides assistance to local clubs and centres as well as national, regional and municipal facilities.

In relation to the assistance being given to local sports clubs and voluntary organisations, the Minister said "I am particularly pleased to be able to announce this further significant level of funding to clubs and local community facilities right throughout the country. It is essential that we help ensure that everyone, of every age and standard, can participate in sport and physical recreation in high quality, hygienic and safe facilities. I know from the reaction of sports clubs, of all codes, that the money being made available, for example, towards the development of playing surfaces, changing facilities, lights for winter training and indoor halls, is making a major difference to the standard and quality of the indoor and outdoor sports facilities that are now evident everywhere around the country."

The Minister went on to say that "the funding from his Department has to be seen as a contribution to support the extraordinary effort being made by thousands of volunteers in sports clubs and organisations in all parts of Ireland, in providing services and opportunities to people in their own localities.

"The Programme for Government stresses the importance of sport and sports facilities and the paramount role played by volunteers, who are the very backbone of Irish sport. Today's announcement of this confirms our commitment to continue to invest in sports facilities around the country."

The type of local projects being funded under the allocations include - pitches and dressing rooms, floodlighting, multi-purpose sports halls, community recreation halls, tennis courts, as well as smaller allocations towards sports equipment.

In keeping with Government policy, the allocations again reflect special priority for the development of sports and recreational facilities in areas designated as disadvantaged i.e. RAPID, CLAR and Local Drugs Task Force areas. Projects that have been allocated sports capital funding in designated disadvantaged areas may also receive additional top-up funding under the CLAR and RAPID Programmes, administered by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. A statement will issue from Minister Eamon Ó Cuív at a later stage regarding top-up funding allocations under these programmes.

In relation to the national, regional and municipal projects receiving €13m in funding, Minister O'Donoghue said, "Major advances have been made in recent years in developing major facilities of strategic significance to Ireland's sports development at key locations throughout the country. We now have a network of top-notch facilities, catering for a wide range of disciplines, which are designed to meet the training, coaching and competition needs of competitive players and athletes and of world-class elite individuals and squads.

"This funding today will help extend and enhance this essential framework of facilities which we require for increasing participation levels, for improving standards of performance in top level sport while at the same time meeting local needs in sport. "

A full list of grants under the 2005 Sports Capital Programme is available on the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism Website at: http://www.dast.gov.ie/Grants/2005_sportsgrants.htm

And going through the list of successful applicants, we find:

Courtlough Clay Pigeon Club €10,000
Templemichael Ballymacormick Shooting Club €8,000

Congratulations to both, and well done!
As to the rest of us... time to start putting our applications together for next year's grant now! It's due at the end of the year and this scheme puts more money into sport in Ireland than any other, so it's decidedly worth the effort! It covers any equipment we'd use, from club rifles to target frames to electronic targets to fax machines to the buildings themselves, and will generally match any amount that the club or governing body can put up - and for a national level facility, the grant can cover more than 50% of the cost, up to 100% in some cases.
So start thinking about what your club needs in terms of capital equipment or buildings, and don't think small!