The Government has announced €40.5 million in Sports Capital grants benefitting a total of 880 projects.
Money has been distributed on a pro rata basis among counties except in Dublin where a surplus of what could have been given out over the amount in valid applications was spread around other counties that had not previously done well.
At the top end of the scale 88 projects will receive funding of at least €100,000.
40 of these projects are in Gaelic Games, 18 towards community projects covering schools and multi sport facilities, 12 in soccer, 7 each in rugby and tennis and two each in rowing and hockey.
12 projects within the club section of the funding received the maximum amount of €200,000. These include Kilmacud Crokes in GAA, Old Wesley in Rugby, Cherry Orchard Football Club and Clondalkin Rugby Club.
We will be looking in detail at the sport by sport breakdown in a series of features on the grants running through next week.
The breakdown by county was calculated on a pro rata basis with 13 counties benefitting by at least €1,000,000 these include the biggest population centres of Dublin, Meath, Kildare Cork, Galway, Louth and Limerick but also Clare and Donegal who got extra distribution.
“We committed to two schemes of Capital Grant funding in the lifetime of this Government and we have now committed over €70 million towards developing facilities that will be used by sport,” said Minister of State for Sport, Michael Ring TD.
“Together with the schemes for local swimming pools and boxing clubs, there has never been as big a commitment at such a difficult time to the people on the ground who deliver sport to the people of Ireland.”
“This is not about car parks and club houses, it is about hurling walls, floodlights, walking tracks and projects that will create jobs in local communities from Cork to Donegal.”
“It is also my intention, should I still be in this position next week, to press for a third round of Capital Grants, based on the premise that investment in sport delivers a return to the country in both wellness and financial terms.”
