The Government is very much focused on promoting lifelong participation in physical activity and sport for all sectors of society and communities. Our sport for all approach aims to ensure that all persons have the opportunity to participate equally in sport and physical activity, regardless of age, socio-economic status, disability or membership of the LGBTI+ community, the Traveller community or other ethnic minorities, and also regardless of gender. My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely, the community sports facilities fund, CSFF, and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF. Sporting organisations can apply directly for the CSFF. Applications for the LSSIF must be made through a national governing body or a local authority. There is no gender-specific funding stream within these programmes and the vast majority of projects funded serve both females and males. Capital grant limits for the community sports facilities fund are based on the applicants' projects and security of tenure. Under the 2023 round, funding of up to €200,000 was available to organisations that either owned their land or held a lease registered with Tailte Éireann with at least 15 years remaining. For organisations without a registered chargeable title, capital funding was restricted to a maximum of €70,000, and that was for equipment grants. If an organisation does not own the land in question or have a long lease, the community sports facilities fund provides that the landowner, if entitled to apply for the CSFF funding in its own right, can make an application on behalf of the sports user. This approach can often be seen in the case of sports clubs or organisations located on local authority lands. In the absence of outright ownership, the key objective is to partner and secure a lease for up to 15 years. That lease qualifies the organisation to apply for sports capital funding. Otherwise, the option of applying for equipment-only grants is available to a club even if it does not have access to land. That is up to a maximum of €70,000.
Sentiment score: 0.16
We want to be as flexible as we possibly can in supporting all clubs to develop facilities. One source of pressure on clubs is the wonderful increase in female participation in sport in general. That creates additional need for facilities. That is something we want to support through the community sports facilities fund and something we will look at closely. It is important when we give funding that there is assurance around the ownership of the land and the right to use the land for the purpose for which we are contributing significant investment on behalf of the taxpayer. That is why we require ownership of the land or a 15-year lease. There is lots of potential for partnering up with local authorities, schools or through the many clubs across the country which serve both men and women and which want to expand their facilities to meet everyone's needs. We want to support them to do that in the next round of the community sports facilities fund.
Sentiment score: 0.42
In relation to making land available, we want to encourage municipal and multipurpose facilities, particularly through working with local authorities. I encourage the Deputy at local level working with the local authorities-----
Sentiment score: 0.53
-----to see what the opportunities are there. The focus of the Department of sport's funding will be on developing facilities and investing in facilities. We do not have a plan to open that funding up to purchasing land. Were we to do that, many clubs across the country would seek to purchase land under it. Our objective is to put the facilities in place. The primary objective is for the club, partnering with local authorities and others within the community - schools, for example - who may have land, to work to develop facilities. I appreciate the challenge. We want to work with and support the local authorities in any way we can to identify the needs, particularly in growing communities, and make sure they can partner up to develop facilities.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I thank Deputy O'Rourke. I propose to take Questions Nos. 141, 150, 157, 160, 163, 166, 167, 171, 188 and 198 together. The programme for Government commits to continuing the community sports facilities fund and to directing its funding to disadvantaged areas and groups that are currently under-represented in terms of participation. My Department’s statement of strategy for 2025 to 2028 commits to continuing to invest in sports infrastructure at local, regional and national levels through the community sports facilities fund and the large-scale sports infrastructure fund. These funds will be critical to advancing delivery of high-quality sport facilities and equipment over the lifetime of the strategy. Infrastructure is key to sporting participation and success, and we will continue to invest in sports infrastructure at local, regional and national levels. The funds will be critical to advancing delivery of high-quality, accessible and sustainable sport facilities and equipment, which will ensure the development of a sporting ecosystem that enables more people, including people with disabilities, older people and people from disadvantaged communities, to participate and benefit from sport at all levels. The community sports facilities fund is the primary means of providing Government funding to sport and community organisations at local, regional and national levels throughout the country. The fund aims to foster an integrated and planned approach to the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and assist the purchase of non-personal sports equipment. The community sports facilities fund, previously known as the sports capital and equipment programme, operated from 1998 with annual rounds and, in more recent years, biennial rounds. More than 19,000 projects have benefited from the fund with a total investment so far of €1.43 billion. That has transformed the sporting landscape across the country. It has led to a significant increase in participation, which is our objective, and that in turn has put pressure on facilities and speaks to the need for us to continue to invest significantly. In the most recent round, €250 million was allocated to just over 3,000 sports clubs and facilities. Forty sports benefited from that, as well as multi-sport facilities throughout the country. The programme for Government commits to supporting local authorities in the acquisition of new lands for parks and playing pitches. While the community sports facilities fund does not provide for the acquisition of land, the Government is supportive of local authorities working in areas where there are challenges to identify suitable land, which local clubs and the community can avail of and be supported by funding from the Department to develop playing facilities on. In line with previous rounds of the fund, a review of the current round has been undertaken by the Department and will be published shortly. I have asked the Department to prepare for a round of the fund in the coming months, with the objective of opening it in late May and early June. It is anticipated that the next round will target areas and sports that have been underinvested in over the years. My Department is collating feedback from sporting clubs and organisations in relation to their needs and that valuable input is going into our preparations for the next round. My aim is to have as many eligible sporting bodies as possible applying, by simplifying the application process and guide and carrying out a wide-reaching communications campaign. Many clubs are relying on volunteers, and some find it difficult and cumbersome to navigate the current system and processes. With a revised and simplified application and assessment process, the aim is to make it easier and quicker for clubs to navigate the system at all stages and to allow for quicker turnaround times while reducing the workload for both the club and my Department.
Sentiment score: 0.11
The plan is to open it in late May or June, with the objective of having funding announcements committed to and the process completed by the end of the year. As I travel around the country, it is very clear that clubs and volunteers are doing phenomenal work and that participation is growing all the time. That is putting pressure on facilities in clubs across all sports. We just discussed the great growth in female participation. The latter is adding significantly to the pressure on facilities. That is why it is really important that we continue to invest really strongly. In this round, it is important to recognise that all sports and all clubs need support. We are also assessing where the needs are particularly acute. In the ongoing review of the community sports facilities fund, we are targeting support at the relevant areas. There is an acknowledgement that there is phenomenal work being done. As Deputy Dolan said, it came across very clearly at the meeting in Tuam that when we invest in the community sports fund, the impact is phenomenal. The value in terms of how people contribute, the voluntary effort made and the development of facilities is exceptional as well. There is not a current cost to the State, but we get a wonderful dividend. By investing in the community sports facility fund, there is a great participation benefit in the community and all that goes with it in terms of building communities. We also see health and social benefits coming out of it. The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, and I will be engaging with our colleagues across the Government to try to make sure that this round is as strong as it possibly can be. As I travel throughout the country, I am engaging with as many clubs as possible. Our message to them in the meantime is to be prepared and to consider where they can develop their clubs in a way that will best serve them such that they can be prepared for making applications to the next round over the summer.
Sentiment score: 0.41
On what Deputy O'Rourke said, we know that there are particular challenges with access to swimming pool facilities across the country. That is why the Government provided €100,000 to Swim Ireland to compile the needs analysis report. I have met representatives from the organisation to discuss how we can step that out now. We now know where the challenges are, and we need to decide how we can best respond to them. Clubs and organisations will be able to apply to the community sports facilities fund for funding for pools, but, obviously, new pool development goes far beyond the scale of what is available in terms of the caps that are in place. That is something we are considering. We will continue to engage with Swim Ireland in order to try to see how we can best address this matter. I agree with Deputy Dolan that female participation is absolutely essential for all clubs. We have seen wonderful work happening within clubs as a result of the fact that we have seen exceptional growth in female participation. Over the course of the past ten years, under the national sports policy, we have seen participation generally grow from 42% of adults participating in sport every week to 49%. We have also seen the gender gap between men and women who participate in sport every week close from a gap of 4.5% down to 2% now. That has been down to the wonderful work happening in clubs. However, we have to recognise that the wonderful growth we are seeing in women's participation in sport in particular, but also across the board, is putting pressure on facilities. That is why it is really important that we invest and put a strong package together for the next round to back clubs in the context of the really exceptional work they are doing. I thank Deputy Shane Moynihan for the representations on behalf of clubs in his area. I agree with the point he made on the collaboration and synergies by local authorities, ETBs and schools with local clubs. That is something we want to encourage and promote as part of the next round. If we can develop facilities that can be used by schools and clubs, we will get an exceptional dividend from that investment. The Deputy's point about Astroturf and artificial pitches is more relevant than ever. They make exceptional use of limited space. We have seen, particularly with the weather we have had in the past couple of months, that the space can be used every week. Grass-based pitches have meant that many have not been able to participate over the past couple of months. That will be a challenge, going forward, that we will have to work to try to address through investment.
Sentiment score: 0.23
I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 180 together. I thank the Deputy. The LSSIF was established, as the Deputy knows, to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects and the cumulative investment since 2020 is €297 million across 68 projects. While the LSSIF is closed to applications at present, our focus is on ensuring that project delivery under the first two rounds of the LSSIF is followed through on. This process will inform any decisions regarding the timing of a future round, but I am committed to ensuring sustained investment in sports facilities to meet our ambitious goals for sports participation nationwide. The LSSIF focuses on larger initiatives, particularly those related to high-performance sport, major spectator events and community-accessible facilities. The key aims of the LSSIF are to increase active participation in sport and the quality of that participation, to increase the quantum and quality of social participation in sport, to improve high performance in sport and to increase active participation. I am pleased to confirm that nine LSSIF projects, including the redevelopments of St. Conleth's Stadium in Kildare and Dexcom Stadium in Galway, are complete. I joined the Deputy at the Munster Rugby centre of excellence in Cork, which is a wonderful facility that was strongly supported under this round of funding. I know from talking to him that day that the Deputy has plans and objectives for this fund, going forward. From the Government point of view, there will be one more round. The national development plan commits to that round. It will be towards the latter part of this Government's term when that new round opens. As I said, the specific timing of that will depend on the progress made with the existing fund and applications. For the next couple of years, our focus will be on ensuring those projects move. Some of them have been much slower than they should have been and we want them to be delivered before we move towards opening a new round for new applications to come forward. That is, we expect, two to three years away.
Sentiment score: 0.28
The LSSIF has been an important fund. The current national sports strategy, published in 2018, identified the need to establish a LSSIF at Government level. Outside the community sports facilities fund, there were many projects of scale that simply could not get the funding together to allow them to happen. That was a real gap in our national support network. We have had two rounds so far. The first was in 2019 and the second was in 2024. As I say, over 60 projects have been supported as a result and the Deputy has seen the fruits of that in his constituency with the Munster Rugby centre of excellence. I was glad, with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, to open a couple of weeks ago the new stand at the Dexcom Stadium of Connacht Rugby in Galway. That is a reflection of the types of projects that are now being delivered and that would have struggled to be viable in the absence of the LSSIF. I know there are many other projects that are seeking funding. I know that Deputy McGrath has plans and objectives for where he would like that funding to go. Our objective for the next couple of years is to drive on the current projects and ensure they happen. As I said, under the national development plan, we have committed to opening a new round in the latter half of the term of this Government for new applications to come in and see that important work on projects of scale are supported at a Government level and are delivered.
Sentiment score: 0.24
I could not agree more with the Deputy. Communities do not thrive if they do not have the sporting and community infrastructure. Increasingly, and more than ever, sport is central to having healthy communities. The project in Carrigaline is exactly the type of project we want to come forward across the country. I am certainly happy to meet those involved in relation to their plans the next time I am in Cork. I will also engage further with the Deputy in that regard. The Deputy made a point about planning. It is an issue on which we have been engaging with the Department of housing. Good planning does not just mean developing houses; it also means developing communities and sporting infrastructure. That is what we want to see as part of joined-up thinking about how we, as a Government, approach the issue.
Sentiment score: 0.21
I propose to take Questions Nos. 142, 143, 159 and 179 together. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. As she knows, the operation of the League of Ireland and its academies is driven by the Football Association of Ireland, which, like all governing bodies, works independently. It is like all the governing bodies that we, in the Government, want to support. I agree with the Deputy that it has been wonderful to see the growth of, and the momentum behind, the League of Ireland. It is great that every Friday night, if you cannot make it to a match, you can watch the round-up and the great product that is on offer. There is excitement and atmosphere at grounds around the country. That is continuing to grow. It is something the Government wants to support and back. I was pleased to announce a €3 million multi-annual allocation as part of the most recent budget to support the development of a modern and professional soccer academy system that will provide the structures and pathways required to support future generations of Irish players, male and female, and maximise the potential of Irish football. This is on foot of the programme for Government commitment to exploring new mechanisms for the creation of football academies. This builds on the additional funding of €1 million provided by my department to the FAI last year, which enabled it to produce a detailed report on the League of Ireland academies system. That funding also enabled the appointment by the FAI of an academies administrator to support the development of new academy programmes and to track their impact. The report benchmarked Irish football academies against international standards, based on an audit of existing academy structures and needs, and provided a basis on which to commit to multi-annual funding support. One of the few benefits and dividends we have seen from Brexit has been our young players increasingly staying in the country. That has added wonderfully to the spectacle we are seeing in the League of Ireland. Of course, while players are, by and large, staying in the country until they are 18 years of age, we want to ensure that they have the pathways to excellence and to become the strongest and highest performing they can be in their careers. That is why we are investing, through the academies, in supporting those athletes.
Sentiment score: 0.49
I noticed that. The Deputy is ready for the matches ahead and will not have to buy anything new. We are all at one. We agree. It has been heartening and energising to see what has been happening at League of Ireland level. It feeds down to the grassroots and inspires young people. The wonderful thing about football is that people can play one-on-one or two against two. All that is needed is a couple of jumpers and a back garden or park for people to come together. It is a wonderful sport for participation. We want to see it grow and are committed to seeing people develop, whether it is Michael Noonan, Victor Ozhianvuna or Mason Melia, who I was glad to see score in the Brandywell not so long ago and do stuff with St. Pat's. That is what is happening across the country. It drives crowds coming to games and participation. It is something we want to support and see grow. We want the League of Ireland to grow to a strength we have never before seen.
Sentiment score: 0.33
I thank Deputy Currie. We want to make sure the investment we are making through academies is used to the best effect possible. The FAI is working, with the guidance of Sport Ireland, to use its experience to ensure that system is structured in the best way. It is also working with premier and first division clubs to see how we can make sure there is good regional reach in terms of academies. Another development over the next couple of months is the development of a tier three for the League of Ireland, which is a welcome development. It will deepen and add to the league. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for her support and advocacy on behalf of the potential that is here. We look forward to working together to build and support the great momentum and growth we have seen.
Sentiment score: 0.56
I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. Everyone involved in sport, in any capacity, regardless of age, should be able to enjoy an experience that is free from any form of abuse. The creation of a culture that promotes the safety and welfare of all must be at the core of the operation of all sports, from national governing bodies right down to grassroots and fans and spectators. Sport Ireland is the statutory authority for the development of sport in Ireland and its statutory function with regard to safeguarding is to develop and disseminate guidelines and codes of practice promoting best practice for the protection of children in sport, consistent with child protection legislation. As a result, its traditional focus has been on the safeguarding of children, as outlined in the Sport Ireland Act 2015. However, in recognition of the emerging requirement for action nationally and internationally, Sport Ireland recently commissioned Safe Sport International to conduct a needs analysis in the area of safe sport for adults. My Department continues to engage with it in that regard. Sport Ireland expects to receive a draft report from Safe Sport International in the coming weeks. It is anticipated this analysis, and recommendations arising from it, will be considered in the context of Sport Ireland's overall sports governance administration guidance for the sports sector and in the context of the development of the next ten-year national sports policy, a process I recently initiated.
Sentiment score: 0.45
I thank Deputy Moynihan. We have supported Sport Ireland in the development of this in the first instance. Sport Ireland provides governance and administration guidance for the sport sector, and the findings from the review will be factored into and incorporated into that. Obviously, there will be lessons and assessments from the report. It is key they are utilised in day-to-day practice. Sport Ireland will ensure that happens as part of its overall governance and administration guidance for the sport sector. Regarding the development of our national sports policy for the next ten years, we as a Government and Department will take on board the learnings from the report to make sure we have factored them into the overall national sports policy and determine how we can support national governing bodies across the country to make sure the lessons from the report are incorporated into how we do business. From a funding point of view, we are always looking to make sure we back that sports policy, as we did the last one, and make sure it can be implemented. We will have to wait and see what is involved in the report. It is our objective to make sure we learn from it and that its findings are implemented.
Sentiment score: 0.27
Referees are absolutely crucial for the participation of teams. They often find themselves in roles that are not as respected as they should be. In terms of providing a safe environment for adults, the role of referees has to be central in the report and to how we provide that environment in sport. Some sports have a much better ethos and culture than others. We have to work to get to a situation where that is uniform across the board in relation to referees. They have a very difficult role. It is one into which people put big commitment to step up to the mark and it is getting increasingly difficult to get people to do those roles. That has to be central to the respect and safe environment that they have as well. Whether in individual sports or team sports, we have to make sure that the environment is safe for them. That is why we are working with Sport Ireland. We have commissioned this report and needs analysis so that we can identify where the strengths are and also work together to make sure that where things can be strengthened, we do that and support all of our sports to do so.
Sentiment score: 0.22
While it would be my wish that athletes from all parts of Ireland should have the choice to represent the whole of Ireland at all major international competitions, as is the case at the Olympic Games, neither the Government nor Sport Ireland has a role in determining who can participate in international competitions organised by international sporting federations. International sporting federations are responsible for determining the composition of their membership, in line with their own internal rules. The international federations - in this case, World Athletics - have a leadership role for their global games, and it is at this level that strategic decisions are taken. Therefore, responsibility for any potential rule change in this regard rests with World Athletics, an independent autonomous organisation. Sport Ireland recognises Athletics Ireland as the national governing body for athletics in Ireland and it is affiliated to World Athletics. Neither I nor Sport Ireland has a role in the establishment, change or application of the World Athletics regulations. It is clear from discussion on this over several years that a successful derogation request to World Athletics authorities would have to be driven by the athletic authorities in Ireland, in collaboration with their counterparts in the UK. Ultimately, I believe that a derogation from the current rule would confer additional flexibility of representation on the athletes concerned and I will continue to offer support to Athletics Ireland and to counterparts in other jurisdictions in support of this position.
Sentiment score: 0.28