Written Answers Nos. 500-521
500. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she expects to be in a position to meet the special needs education requirements throughout north Kildare, with particular reference to the growing population, the extra needs arising therefrom in terms of accommodation and special classes or special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45223/24]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.
Almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in recent years, 11 new special schools have also been established and many more expanded in this time. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,337.
131 of these classes are in County Kildare, 16 are new for the 2024/25 school year, 12 at primary level and 4 at post-primary level. The vast majority of these are autism classes and have a teacher/student ratio of 1:6. There is also six special schools in the county supporting approximately 350 students with more complex needs. One of these was newly established for this school year.
Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide and it is estimated that a similar level of provision will be needed each year for the next 3 years.
The NCSE have recruited additional special education needs organisers (SENOs), advisors and team managers. The number of SENOs has increased to 120 nationwide. There are now six SENOs operating in County Kildare. SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas and are currently visiting schools nationwide to conduct planning meetings. These visits will be key in terms of forward planning for the 2025/26 school year.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents on their options and the supports available.
501. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which primary school places at Johnstownbridge, County Kildare continue to be assessed, with a view to ensuring that accommodation is sufficient to meet population increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45224/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, in order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
• Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
• School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
• Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
• External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, including the Longwood School Planning Area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision. Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
My Department will continue to keep the school place requirements in Johnstownbridge, as with other areas across the country, under review.
502. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the progress in the provision of extra school facilities at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45225/24]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the Board of Management of the school.
The project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural planning process. The Design Team have been working with the school to finalise design drawings. Once the Stage 2a submission is approved by my Department, the next step for the Design Team will be to obtain the statutory planning approvals. When these are in place, the project can proceed to tender and construction.
At this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project.
503. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which primary school places at Broadford, County Kildare, continue to be assessed, with a view to ensuring that accommodation is sufficient to meet population increases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45226/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, in order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
• Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
• School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
• Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
• External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
• Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, including the Longwood School Planning Area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision. Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
My Department will continue to keep the school place requirements in Broadford, as with other areas across the country, under review.
504. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which progress has been made in respect of the provision of new school building for a school (details supplied); the recent progress in this case, if any; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45227/24]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers is devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB).
The design team to deliver the project was appointed by KWETB in May 2024 and they are now preparing the Stage 1 (preliminary design) to design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning permissions, and move the project onward to tender and construction in due course, subject to all necessary due diligence.
As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a timeline for its completion KWETB will continue to engage with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
505. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which adequate school places remain available to parents and school children at Moyvalley, County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45228/24]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
• Duplication of applications
• School of choice
• Single sex schools
• External draw
Notwithstanding the above, in some areas demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, including the Longwood School Planning Area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision. Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
At a national level, Ireland has been experiencing growth in overall post primary enrolments and this is projected to continue in many parts of the country for the next number of years before beginning to decline. However, first year enrolments nationally are expected to have peaked in the 2023/24 school year and are beginning to decline from next year. At primary level, there is generally good capacity across the country, although there are some areas under continuing demographic pressures.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
As the Deputy may be aware, the Educational Welfare Services of the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The local service is delivered through the national network of Educational Welfare Officers. Contact details are available on Tusla’s website.
My Department will continue to keep the school place requirements in Moyvalley, as with other areas across the country, under review.
506. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the ongoing efforts, if any, to liaise with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, with a view to providing in-house afterschool services in all primary schools throughout the country to ensure seamless transition between education and care facilities for all children and given the necessity for both parents to remain in employment due to high mortgages; if it is anticipated that this issue is being provided for in a meaningful way; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45229/24]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that funding for preschool services is a matter for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. My colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has policy responsibility for school-age childcare.
By way of information, generally capital funding by the Department of Education is reserved for the provision of mainstream school accommodation for primary education upwards, as well as for children with special educational needs.
However, my Department supports and encourages the use of school buildings for community and recreational purposes, where feasible, including childcare and after school uses.
My Department has recently published Procedures on the use of school property and school sports facilities outside of school hours. These Procedures are available for each school to refer to for guidance in relation to the use of school buildings outside of school hours, including any planned after school services and arrangements.
507. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which new school buildings are required throughout north Kildare, whether replacement or the building of new schools; the progress to date in this regard; the schedule for the provision of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45230/24]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including those with special educational needs, is an absolute priority for my Department.
As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 950 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 350 other projects, which includes 37 new school buildings. These 350 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.5bn.
More than €310 million has been invested in school infrastructure in County Kildare since 2020 alone, reflecting a strong focus on alignment of school place availability with the significant residential development across the county. This investment includes recently completed new school buildings in Maynooth and Naas. Additionally, further new school buildings and extensions are at construction or planned, including in Prosperous, Kilcock, Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas and Clane.
At a national level, Ireland has been experiencing growth in overall post primary enrolments and this is projected to continue in many parts of the country for the next number of years before beginning to decline. However, first year enrolments nationally are expected to have peaked in the 2023/24 school year and are now beginning to decline. Across North Kildare there are almost 250 more first year places available for the 2025/26 school year than sixth class children. At primary level, there is generally good capacity across the country, although there are some areas under continuing demographic pressures.
I want to assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to work to ensure a school place for every child in North Kildare, and across the rest of the country, including by advancing required school building projects.
508. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the procedures currently in place or envisaged to combat school bullying in its various forms at primary and second level schools throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45231/24]
View answerI launched Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying on 1st December 2022. Cineáltas is my department’s whole-education approach to preventing and addressing bullying in schools.
Cineáltas is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying, cyber bullying, racist bullying, gender identity bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools.
It is centred on a child right’s-based approach and provides a collective vision and clear roadmap for how the whole education community and society can work together to prevent and address bullying in our schools.
Cineáltas incorporates each of the nine components of UNESCO’s Whole Education Approach to prevent and address bullying. It is rooted in four key principles: prevention, support, oversight and community.
One of the more significant actions under Cineáltas was to update the 2013 Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. This action has been completed with the publication on 19 June 2024 of the Bí Cineálta: Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools.
The Bí Cineálta procedures are centred on a child rights-based approach and support a partnership approach where all members of the school community work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour.
The procedures have been updated to take account of gender identity bullying, cyberbullying, racist bullying, sexist bullying, and sexual harassment. They support schools to develop clear strategies to prevent and address these bullying behaviours. The requirements of the procedures will come into effect from the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year.
Implementation of these procedures will be supported by a suite of professional learning resources and information sessions for school staff, board of management members and parents.
Information seminars on the updated procedures were held throughout October 2024 which were open to school leaders from every primary and post-primary school.
Beginning this month, Oide will provide in-person professional learning through local education centres, to two staff members from each school in the country, one of which must be a school leader. This will continue until the end of term two of this current school year.
All schools will be provided with learning resources that can be used for Anti-Bullying Week (11-15th November).
Furthermore, all schools can avail of a half-day closure in the current school year in order to engage with all school staff on the requirements of the updated anti-bullying procedures. My department will provide resources to assist schools with this engagement.
The updated procedures are available at: www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/bullying-information-for-parents-and-students/#bi-cinealta-procedures-to-prevent-and-address-bullying-behaviour-for-primary-and-post-primary-schools
509. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education when essential works will commence to repair a roof of a school (details supplied) given there are at least five separate leaks seeping water through light fittings creating a health and safety hazard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45232/24]
View answerThe school in question to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for roof works.
The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works. During a recent visit to the school on 10 October 2024, the school were advised to submit a revised scope of works with an accompanying itemised cost breakdown.
Once this is received the EWS team will review the revised application and will engage further with the school as appropriate. The EWS team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the process.
511. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 285 and 286 of 18 September 2024, if her Department has ever used artificial intelligence in the preparation of response to Parliamentary Questions; if her Department is aware of Government-approved interim guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in the public service, published in February of this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45255/24]
View answerMy Department and its officials do not presently use AI to generate official text.
My Department recognises the potential offered by AI and is aware of the Interim Guidelines for Use of AI published. My Department will continue to assess the suitability of AI on a solution by solution basis.
512. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the annual Exchequer funding allocations in 2024 and 2025 for Foras na Gaeilge. [43899/24]
View answerCurrent funding for the North South Language Body, including Foras na Gaeilge, is approved by the North South Ministerial Council.
The NSMC approved current funding allocation to Foras na Gaeilge, from my Department in 2024 is €12,378,239, which is 75% of the approved allocation, with the remaining 25% funding from the Department for Communities, Northern Ireland.
In addition, my Department has provided Foras na Gaeilge with €118,519 representing 50% of the 2024 funding for Colmcille, an initiative to promote Gaeilge na hÉireann and Gàidhlig na hAlban.
Finally, my Department has provided a current allocation of €1,061,165 for Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge this year.
Approval for the 2025 Foras na Gaeilge allocation will be sought from the North South Ministerial Council following publication of the Revised Estimates Volume here and the conclusion of discussions regarding matching funding with the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
513. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if there is funding available for upgrading existing playgrounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43939/24]
View answerMy Department provides funding under the Community Sport Facilities Fund (formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme) for sports facilities but the Fund does not provide funding for playgrounds. Funding for playgrounds may be available under schemes operated by other Government Departments and through local authorities.
514. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what prompted she or her officials to include a definition of “gender” in the general scheme of a broadcasting (amendment) Bill published recently which mirrors the definition used in the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44094/24]
View answerThe General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill is intended to give effect to, inter alia, a number of the recommendations and considerations of the Future of Media Commission, whose report was published in July 2022. Recommendation 8-3 of the Future of Media Commission includes the following recommendation:
'There should be an enhanced role for Audience Councils which reflects the definition of “the public” adopted by the Commission and which supports diversity, inclusivity and a more democratic engagement with wider public sphere issues.'
In light of the wider definition of 'the public' proposed by the Future of Media Commission, Head 5 of the General Scheme provides for a definition of 'under-served audiences', which includes those who are under-served in respect of public service content by virtue of geography, age, socio-economic status, language, national or ethnic origin, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Head 18 provides for an enhanced role for the Audience Councils of the PSM providers to better reflect the definition of the public used by the Future of Media Commission. They also require that the selection of members of the Audience Council is reflective of under-served audiences.
In identifying the categories by which communities may be under-served it was considered appropriate to include gender as a category, given women have historically been under-served and under-represented in Irish media. To future-proof the General Scheme, it was considered appropriate to use the definition of 'gender' provided for in the Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act, 2024.
515. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of staff vacancies, by grade, in her Department at the end of August 2023 and August 2024; and the number of staff, by grade, on a career break of more than five years and more than six years, at the end of August 2023 and August 2024. [44135/24]
View answerAt the end of August 2024, there were 34 approved vacancies in my Department set out in the table below. My Department does not have a grade breakdown of vacancies in August 2023.
|
Grade |
Number of Vacancies |
|
Accountant Grade II |
1 |
|
Administrative Officer |
2 |
|
Archivist |
1 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
4 |
|
Clerical Officer |
4 |
|
Deputy Head Service Officer |
1 |
|
Executive Officer |
2 |
|
Head Services Officer |
1 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
8 |
|
Placenames Officer |
1 |
|
Principal Officer |
1 |
|
Services Attendant |
1 |
|
Services Officer |
6 |
|
Temporary Clerical Officer |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
34 |
In August 2023 there were 7 officers in my Department on Career Break, none of these exceeded 5 years.
In August 2024 there were 5 officers in my Department on Career Break, none of these exceeded 5 years.
516. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the efforts she is making to support motorsports in Ireland, particularly relating to funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44208/24]
View answerSport Ireland, which is funded by my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards, including the allocation of funding under its various programmes.
I have referred the Deputy's Question to Sport Ireland for direct reply in relation to funding provided to motorsports. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within 10 days.
517. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of civil servants, by grade, in her Department who were on a career break in 2023 and 2024; the number of those who in 2023 and 2024 were on a career break of five years or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44312/24]
View answerUnder the terms of Circular 04/2013 - Career Breaks in the Civil Service the number of officers on Career Break in my Department in 2023 was 11 and in 2024 was 6. None of these career breaks exceeded 5 years. The tables below outline details of these career breaks, including by grade.
|
Career Breaks in 2023 |
Number of Officers |
|
Administrative Officer |
1 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
1 |
|
Clerical Officer |
2 |
|
Executive Officer |
6 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
11 |
|
Career Breaks in 2024 |
Number of Officers |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
1 |
|
Clerical Officer |
1 |
|
Executive Officer |
4 |
|
Grand Total |
6 |
518. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she is satisfied that the provisions of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform Circular 4/2013 are being properly implemented by her Department; if she is satisfied that civil servants whose career breaks are coming to an end are being notified of appropriate vacancies; if she is concerned by instances where civil servants are having their career breaks extended unnecessarily where the Department has appropriate vacancies to fill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44385/24]
View answerI am satisfied that the provisions in Circular 4/2013 are implemented appropriately in this Department.
Officers on career break are obliged to contact Departments two months in advance indicating their intention to resume duty. Additionally, the Human Resources team in this Department contact officers in advance of the indicated career break return date to confirm if they will be returning.
Where an officer confirms they intend to return to duty, the officer is assigned to the next available appropriate vacancy for the grade. There have been no delays in assigning officers returning from career break to vacancies.
519. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide an update on an application by a club (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44411/24]
View answerThe application referred to was deemed valid under the terms and conditions of the Community Sport Facilities Fund (formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme). However, under the terms and conditions of the programme, the maximum grant available for local club/organisation projects is €200,000.
As the club was previously provisionally allocated funding for this project under earlier rounds the amount provisionally allocated under the current round is reduced, to ensure that the total allocated for the project does not exceed the €200,000 maximum grant limit permitted.
My Department has outlined this explanation for the current provisional allocation directly to the club.
520. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide a detailed breakdown of the allocation of €230.68 million for sport and recreation in Budget 2025 and specifically, the amount allocated for core funding for sports organisations as part of this allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44583/24]
View answer521. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide a detailed breakdown of the allocation of €230.58 million for sport and recreation in Budget 2025 and specifically, the amount allocated for capital spending under this allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44584/24]
View answer522. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media why the allocation of core funding to sports organisations in Budget 2025 does not meet the increased costs being faced by sports organisations, including pension auto enrolment, increase in minimum wage, increased cost of doing business and wage inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44585/24]
View answer523. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to set out in detail the spending of the €1 million fund for disability sport which was announced as part of Budget 2025; how it will be administered; who will benefit from it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44586/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 520 to 523, inclusive, together.
Continued Government investment is essential to increasing participation levels in all sports, across all sectors of society. When the National Sports Policy was published in 2018, it set a commitment to double investment in sport to more than €220 million by 2027. As a result of Budget 2025, the funding allocation for sport next year will be over €230 million. This means that two years ahead of schedule, this Government has more than doubled the funding for sport, compared to 2018 levels.
The total allocation to Sport in Budget 2025 is €230.681 million, which is made up of €124.316 million in current funding and €106.365 million in capital funding.
In 2018, the total annual core funding for National Governing Bodies for sport (NGBs) and Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) stood at €16.9 million. That figure now stands at €30 million for 2025. Objectively, even with inflation accounted for, that is a substantial increase in funding over the lifetime of this Government. An extra €1.3 million in core funding was allocated under Budget 2025 to the NGBs and LSPs, and this increase once more exceeds the inflation rate. The core funding allocations to individual NGBs and LSPs for 2025, will be decided by Sport Ireland in due course.
As Sports Minister, I want to see participation levels in sport and physical activity maximised to the greatest extent possible. In that respect, I am deeply conscious of the participation gap that exists when it comes to people with disabilities participating in sport. Under Budget 2025, I allocated €1 million to a new and dedicated Disability in Sport funding stream, which will be administered by Sport Ireland. I look forward to seeing this funding used to support Sport Ireland in their work to ensure that everyone, of every ability, gets the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity. Further details and funding criteria for this scheme will be published by Sport Ireland in due course.
The Sport Ireland Campus is currently home to a diversity of sports and sport facilities and an additional €1.2 million is being allocated under Budget 2025 to the campus for its maintenance and further development. In addition, the Government recently granted approval for Sport Ireland to progress the development of a National Velodrome and Badminton Centre and a National Cricket Stadium at the Campus. The total capital allocation to Sport Ireland in 2025 is €11.7 million.
Following on from the recent announcement of an unprecedented €256 million provision for community sports clubs and facilities under the Community Sport Facilities Fund (formerly known as the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme) the capital allocation for this programme has been more than doubled in 2025 to €73.4 million.
This week, a record €173 million was announced for 35 projects across Ireland under the second round of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). €19.3 million in capital funding is being allocated to the LSSIF in 2025.
