2026-06-11

73. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the total funding allocated to the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF, to date; to provide a breakdown of funding awarded to each individual project, the amounts that have been drawn down or are in the process of being drawn down; the details of projects that have yet to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44338/26]

I ask the Minister for an update on the LSSIF, including detail about each project. Maybe the Minister of State can give me that afterwards. I do not expect him to list them all. I also ask for the amount that has been drawn down and the amount that has yet to be drawn down.

The LSSIF, as the Deputy knows, was established under the national sports policy to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects to be able to progress. Previously, there was a gap in that there was no such fund to enable larger projects to proceed. While it is aimed primarily at national governing bodies and local authorities, it is also open to other bodies. In this regard, I refer to applications that would necessarily have to be made and prioritised by a local authority in the process. The cumulative investment under the LSSIF since 2020 has been €297 million across 68 projects. To date, €60 million has been drawn down by grantees, and the following projects have been completed: the linear walkway and playing fields project in Meath; phase 1 of Walsh Park in Waterford; the regional athletics hub in Limerick; the Dundalk Leisure Centre facilities refurbishment project; phases 1 and 2 of the Munster Technological University athletics track in Cork, in the Deputy’s own part of the world; St. Conleth’s Park in Kildare; Charlesland athletics track; Munster Centre of Excellence in Cork; Askeaton Pool and Leisure; Cavan Regional Sports Campus; St. Thomas’s multisport complex, phase 1; and the Dexcom Connacht rugby stadium in Galway. A number of other LSSIF projects are due to be completed this year or significantly progressed, for example, the RDS main arena and Páirc Tailteann in County Meath. My officials continue to work closely with fund grantees to help them progress their projects. Nine construction projects approved under the 2018 LSSIF programme have yet to commence. In addition, two have indicated their intention to withdraw their grant allocation. All applicants allocated funding under the 2024 round of LSSIF are working through the procedures required under the infrastructure guidelines, which set out the value for money guidelines for the evaluation, planning and management of public investment projects.

It will not come as a surprise to the Minister of State that I have asked this question before at committee meetings. To be fair, he knows my form on this. I do not begrudge anybody getting money they have applied for, or any of the sports bodies that have applied on behalf of clubs, mainly national clubs but what irks me is that, as he said, nine projects from 2018 have still not commenced. We just need to take the bull by the horns at some stage and have a realistic conversation with some of those organisations to say that, if they are not drawing down the money, it is going to be reallocated for another worthy project. I say this not out of a desire to take the money from any applicant. The reality is that some organisations have been sitting on the money for the best part of eight years, as the Minister of State said. I understand the difficulties and the amount they have to raise. It is onerous to draw down from the fund but, at the same time, we need the moneys drawn down. I am a massive supporter of the good the funding does. I would like to see allocations become more frequent but it is hard to argue for that when a fairly high proportion of clubs have still not commenced projects or drawn down the money.

I acknowledge the Deputy’s point on the need for realistic conversations with all applicants to make sure they are moving forward on drawing down the money. I assure him that those conversations are happening. We want to, and we have delivered the message that, these projects need to progress. The Government allocated the projects funding with the objective of seeing them come to fruition. Between the two rounds so far, 68 applicants across the country have received funding. The projects probably would never have been able to get off the ground or be in a position to be viable without this State investment. We do need to see them move forward, however. This is not something that is going to be on the never-never. We are making it very clear to all of the projects that they need to be moving forward. My team is actively engaging with those behind them with the objective of making sure they can proceed to construction.

The Minister of State says this will not be on the never-never but the reality, as he said, is that nine projects have not commenced since 2018. There are more that have been allocated funding in a subsequent round. Deadlines need to be imposed. It gives me no satisfaction to say here that this is State money and that if State money were allocated for projects in any other field, we would be asking about it. We want accountability and transparency. We want projects delivered, let us be truthful. If the initial projects envisaged, or scaled-back versions, if required, could be completed, it should be explored. If those concerned are having difficulties with fundraising or whatever, it is a matter of helping them to bridge the gaps. Ultimately, however, we need projects completed. There are sports clubs the length and breadth of the country crying out for substantial money like what has been allocated under the fund. The money for a certain project in Cork, which I will not mention here but with which the Minister is familiar, has been sitting there for six years, undrawn. Other potential suitors were interested in availing of it. A particular organisation has sat on it and withheld it from going towards a very positive project. The gun needs to be put to some of these organisations’ heads and they need to get on with the works.

I assure the Deputy that no project that has been given approval for funding is sitting on funding. We are spending all the money we have, managing the LSSIF funding stream to the nth degree and making sure it is getting invested. Likewise, we want to make sure every project is moving forward. We will have one more round of the LSSIF over the term of the Government. I want that to be as early in the term as it can be but it will certainly be in the second half of it. It will be contingent on where we are at with projects. Projects that are not moving forward will have to be taken off the books so new ones can be considered. In the meantime, we are working with those involved to drive their projects forward and make sure that we see them completed so people can avail of and enjoy the benefits of these great facilities. We are working to try to deliver that.