Gaelic games is once again the big winner in the distribution of the Government’s €230 million Community Sport Facilities Fund after grants of almost €97 million were awarded to GAA county boards and clubs across the country.
The green light has been given to 787 Gaelic games applications totalling €96,901,302 – which is double the amount of the second-highest allocation, €44,562,200 for multi-sport projects (362 grants).
Soccer is third on the list with 371 grants totalling €41,400,230, while golf received €11,423,015 (107 grants) and rugby tallied €9,969,837 (76 grants).
In the previous round of the programme in 2020, Gaelic games received €65.5 million, multi-sport €28.9 million, soccer €25.1 million, golf €8.8 million, and rugby €8.7 million.
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The disparity in grants between certain sports has been a talking point over the years in relation to the grassroots funding scheme, formerly known as the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme.
Speaking last year, Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne indicated one simple reason for gaps was because clubs in some sports simply weren’t applying.
“In the last three rounds, the GAA has sought almost €200 million, soccer has sought €73 million,” he said in July 2023.
It seems soccer clubs did take on board that nudge to apply given their allocation increased from €25 million to just over €40 million on this occasion. Included within that amount is the €454,228 for Dundalk FC to install a new pitch and carry out work on floodlights.
A total of more than 40 separate sports, as well as multi-sport and recreational facilities, have received funding. If Gaelic games is top of the pile, at the other end of the table is hillwalking (€9,761), taekwondo (€8,868), and lacrosse (€7,000).
The chief reason Gaelic games has traditionally fared better is essentially down to strength of numbers – there are more GAA clubs applying than those from other codes. There is a culture of lodging applications for these grants within the GAA. In fact, not only did GAA units receive the most grants in this round, but the majority of invalid applications – which can be appealed – were also from GAA clubs.
Added to that, completing the top 10 sports in terms of funding is handball (€1,338,256) despite being a GAA sport.
Camogie and women’s Gaelic football are also treated separately in the breakdown of sports – and while neither are currently under the umbrella of the GAA, they are Gaelic games.
“The summary by sport is informed by how the relevant applicants identify their organisation. Some fill in the application as ‘handball club’ others as a ‘GAA club’ or ‘Gaelic games’. This is the reason for a separate category,” said a Government spokesperson.
Dublin and Cork are the counties with the joint largest number of grants at 233. Longford (17) and Leitrim (21) are at the other end of the scale. Again, clearly the numbers game is a significant contributor to those outcomes.
The criteria around the programme includes the type of projects eligible – such as pitch upgrades, LED floodlighting, ball netting, walking tracks, refurbishment of sports halls, gyms, fitness studios and dressingrooms.
It does not fund the operational costs of clubs, viewing stands, car parks, advertising, bars or branded merchandise.
Applications are assessed along the lines of: the likelihood of increasing participation (including female participation)/improving performance; the sharing of facilities; the level of socio-economic disadvantage in the area; the technical merits of the project; the level of self-funding available; and the amount of previous funding received over the past decade.
Among the GAA county boards that received positive news in relation to their applications were Cavan, Carlow, Clare, Galway, Donegal, Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo, Meath, Kildare, Limerick, Tipperary, Roscommon, Sligo, Wicklow, and Monaghan.
The maximum grant for regional projects – under which county board applications are considered – is €500,000.
Carlow have been granted €365,504 for their Centre of Excellence while, Cavan received €440,183 for redevelopment of their artificial pitch.
Clare have received €478,668 towards an all-weather pitch at the county’s Centre of Excellence, while Galway will be able to push ahead with floodlight work at Pearse Stadium following a grant of €343,877 for that project.
Kerry have been granted €359,904 towards a sand-based pitch and floodlight improvements, while Leitrim received €156,877 for pitch upgrade works at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada.
Meath have been granted €329,386 for the upgrading of floodlights at the county’s Centre of Excellence in Dunganny.
A sum of €464,724 has been allocated to Limerick for Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale, while Mayo received €196,942 to improve the floodlights at MacHale Park.
Monaghan’s application for finance to help extend their Centre of Excellence received €340,259, while a separate application by St Tiarnach’s GAA Clones has been allocated the same amount for work on floodlights at the Ulster final venue. Tipperary received €208,797 to complete the gym at Dr Morris Park.
The last three rounds of these grants were announced in 2017, 2018, and 2020. A review of this round will now take place, which will inform the timing of the next Community Sport Facilities Fund process.
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