THE LARGEST EVER funding allocation of €230 million for community sports facilities has been announced.
Some 1,992 grants have been approved for new and improved sports facilities and equipment under the Community Sport Facilities Fund, which supports the development of sports and recreation facilities.
It’s a 50% increase on the funding allocated in early 2022 under the 2020 round of the programme.
Over 40 sports, as well as multi-sport facilities, will benefit from the grants announced today.
The sport with the largest funding allocation is Gaelic Games, at close to €97 million.
Multi-sports facilities receive the second largest allocation, at €44.5m, followed by soccer which will benefit to the rune of €41.4m.
On the other end of the scale, lacrosse is the sport with the lowest allocation, at €7,000, followed by Taekwondo with €8,680.
A Department spokesperson said each application was assessed under criteria including population density, deprivation and access to facilities, and that unsuccessful applicants can appeal any grant applications deemed invalid.
The €97m allocated to Gaelic Games is split between 787 projects, while the soccer allocation is shared between 371 grants.
Around €197m of today’s allocation was given to local projects, which are typically sports clubs and groups seeking up to €200,000.
And some €47.5m has gone to regional projects, which are typically centres of excellence such as GAA country training centres and running tracks applying for up to €500,000, while €3.8m is for equipment only.
Minister for Sport Catherine Martin each approved grant “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”.
She added that clubs will be better able to serve their communities as a result of the fund and noted that 194 clubs are getting funding to install solar panels, 317 clubs are getting funding for LED floodlights, while 966 projects will include improvements to pitches.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne said the “unprecedented” funding will “prove transformative for sports clubs and facilities in communities across Ireland”.
Byrne added that the “inspiring performance of Team Ireland at the Olympics and Paralympics recently in Paris demonstrated the positive power of sport and we understand that any sporting journey begins within the community”.
Close to €4m has been allocated to athletics, around €323,000 has gone to the Special Olympics, and Wheelchair sport will benefit from funding of over €245,000.
Elsewhere, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe remarked that “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”
Written by Diarmuid Pepper and posted on TheJournal.ie
GAA getting twice the allocation of the sport with the highest participation numbers in Ireland sum it all up
@5sZl1dX2: I would think giving 41.4m euro to an organisation who have consistently shown themselves to be totally unfit to manage funds says just as much. I’m no fan of the GAA, but they do manage to get community facilities up and running far more effectively than the FAI.
@Patrick Breen: Yes, I think all the kids playing soccer should be left with substandard facilities as a punishment for the sins of the FAI
@Tom O’ Donnell: Glad to see we’re on the same page.
@Patrick Breen: it’s the clubs who spend the money there allocated not the FAI
@5sZl1dX2: elections are coming up, corrupt Éire
@Tom O’ Donnell: 4 jumpers and a ball quite sufficient for kids to play soccer
@colin coady: it was the CLUBS who voted in and didn’t question you-know-who for way too long.
@Patrick Breen: The money doesn”t go to the FAI or GAA HQ. Each individual project is assessed on it’s individual merit, regardless of the sport the organisation represents. Each club or county needs to be able to demonstrate the ability to raise the additional funds required and the sports grant is allocated based on a maximum % of the overall cost. The main reason why GAA clubs and centres of excellence consistently secure more funding than soccer, is because they are more organised with regard to the process and raising additional funds. Soccer may be more popular, but the financial structures (that the FAI decided upon themselves many years ago) does not present an opportunity to monetise those high playing numbers.
@Paul Ennis: You’re wasting your time talking sense. Most posters here won’t understand it..
Gaa “grab” nearly half of all funding.Gaa allocating 1% of that €100m to Women’s football and Camogie says what they think of them too.
@Daire Cathal Greene: but the GAA don’t run women’s football and Camogie, the LGFA and Camogie Association are in charge of those.
@Daire Cathal Greene: Separate organisations, despite the GAA’s best efforts to bring them all under the same umbrella. If only other sports like soccer had their sh*t together like the GAA…
@Patrick Breen: & Brian M, points taken, thanks. I recall that now, perhaps the €96m difference is an issue for LGFA and Camogie Association to look upon again.
I hope some one in power has the control of the money there given to the FAI I would not leave them in control of a raffle
@William Kelly: it’s given to clubs not to the FAI maybe do some research and see how the fundings are distributed
Another embarrassment from the GAA
Less than 2% funding to athletics. Incredible how our athletes performed at the Olympics.
What is multi sports and is that where rugby fits in ? Or is rugby below multi sports and soccer in terms of funding ?
@Stuart: Rugby clubs got approx €10m out of a total of €230m in funding
@Stuart: It’s for example, all weather pitches that can be used for more than one sport.
@5sZl1dX2: and the national team is the number 1 ranked rugby side in the world , the IRFU must be making good use of the 10 mil.
@5sZl1dX2: maybe thats all the difference Rugby clubs looked for
@Stuart: Ireland are number 1? Not many people have noticed