What was the Sports Capital Grant is now the Community Sports Facility Fund, and what was much smaller in scale and scope is now a funding stream announced today that totals €230 million.

Over 2,000 sporting clubs and facilities will benefit across the country, and the sum has increased by 50 per cent since the last round, still within this government’s lifetime.

Gaelic Games is a massive winner, with 787 projects garnering €96,901.302.

€44,562,200 is being sent towards 362 multi-sport projects.

€41,400,230 is going towards football, including €482,000 to Cambridge FC in Ringsend, where Ministers Catherine Martin, Thomas Byrne and Paschal Donohoe made the announcement this morning.

Golf gets €11,423,015 across 107 projects; Rugby €9,969,837 across 76 and Tennis €6,579,430 towards 77 different applications.

We will further break down the sports to gain the most tomorrow.

Support

Over 90 per cent of the projects that submitted an application will have received some degree of support, though there are fewer than in previous years that will have gained everything they looked for.

In part, this will be managed by the clubs or the governing bodies finding what is needed, but for some, it will mean the difference between progressing or not.
Hopefully there will not be too much of the latter as this is money that is there to be spent.

Mainstream media have been in a tizzy about the fact that some TDs announced projects early in their constituency, but that is only a sideshow to the positive impact this funding will have.

Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne was much more supportive of the FAI than in recent comments, praising how they had far more clubs now coming into this funding, while Minister Paschal Donohoe, who has been sitting on the other side of the table in negotiation with every Department ahead of the budget, was also singing the praises of sport, the impact it has and the strength of football in particular as a community driver.

“This Government is committed to supporting sport at all levels, from grassroots and community-level facilities right up to our high-performance athletes on the world stage,” he said.

Excelling

“Sport adds so much to our lives, as spectators, beginners or those excelling in their field.”

“The mental and physical benefits are immeasurable. Ensuring adequate investment means that our participants have good facilities at their disposal and can train to compete to the best of their ability, whatever that is. After such a successful summer for our Olympians and Paralympians, it’s great to have an opportunity to underline our investment in sport for everyone, in every community across the country.”

The €230m allocation announced today follows May’s allocation of €26m for sports equipment, bringing the total investment in community sport and recreation in 2024 to an unprecedented €256m.

This is a 50% increase on the funding allocated in early 2022 under the 2020 round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme.

Over 40 separate sports, as well as multi-sport facilities throughout the country, will benefit from the grants.

Criteria

Each application was assessed using criteria including population density, deprivation, and access to facilities. Unsuccessful applicants can appeal any grant applications deemed invalid.

“Sport is vital to our sense of togetherness and community, from local clubs to professional and high-performance teams and athletes,” said Minister Catherine Martin.

“Each and every one of these grants represents a project that will create a new or improved opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in sport to the best of their ability.”

“Clubs will be better able to serve their communities with the help of this fund. For example, 194 clubs are getting funding to install solar panels, 317 clubs are getting funding for LED floodlights, and 966 projects will include improvements to pitches.”

“These vital improvements and new facilities will add to the equipment allocations announced earlier this year to ensure that more people than ever have access to the sports they love in their local areas.”

Transformative

“This level of sports funding is unprecedented and will prove transformative for sports clubs and facilities in communities across Ireland,” added Minister of State Byrne.

“As a Government, we are committed to providing everyone, of every age and ability, with the opportunity to participate in sport and this record allocation for sport demonstrates that commitment.”

“The inspiring performance of Team Ireland at the Olympics and Paralympics recently in Paris demonstrated the positive power of sport. We understand that any sporting journey begins within the community. The record funding being announced today under the Community Sport Facilities Fund underlines this Government’s continued commitment to seeing Irish sport thrive into the future.”

Over the coming days, we will examine the allocations by sport and county, examine the balance between local and regional funding, and more.

We are also on red alert for the announcement of more significant funding coming as part of the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund and, of course, in next week’s budget for 2025.

 

 

 

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