Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
549. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the precise opening date in February 2026 for the next round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund; whether the scheme guidelines have been finalised; and if he will publish the final guidelines in advance of the scheme opening. [16716/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra550. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport what objective criteria will be used in the February 2026 round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund to identify “under-invested” areas and sports; whether a county-by-county capital allocation analysis from previous rounds informed this targeting; and if he will publish that assessment. [16717/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra551. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the maximum grant thresholds that will apply in the February 2026 round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund for local, regional and equipment-only applications; whether match funding requirements will differ from the 2023 round; and whether any reduced match requirement will apply to smaller or rural clubs. [16718/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 549, 550 and 551 together.
Over a quarter of a billion euro was allocated to 3,048 community sports clubs and facilities in 2024 from the 2023 round of the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF), representing the largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland.
In line with previous rounds of the Fund, a review of the current funding round has been undertaken and will be published shortly. I have asked my Department to prepare for a 2026 round of the CSFF in the coming months. The precise date has not been decided at this point. It is anticipated that the next CSFF round will particularly target areas and sports that have been under-invested in over the years.
The Department is currently collating feedback from sporting clubs and organisations. This feedback is proving very valuable for the Department to better understand the experiences, needs and challenges faced by clubs and other organisations. This feedback, along with the review of the 2023 round, will inform our preparations for the next round. The new guidelines will be published in advance of the next round and will include details on the thresholds that will apply for local, regional and equipment-only applications and the match funding requirements.
My aim is to have as many eligible sporting bodies as possible applying, by simplifying the application process and guidelines and carrying out a wide-reaching communications campaign. All clubs and organisations registered with the Department's grant management system will be automatically notified when the next round of the CSFF is opened.
