Tipperary sports clubs urged to apply for new capital grants funding

Fine Gael candidate for Tipperary Garret Ahearn has advised all Sports Clubs in Tipperary to apply for the new round of Sports Capital Grants which announced today.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross T.D. and the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., announced that €40 million is being made available under a new round of the Sports Capital Programme (SCP).

The SCP is the Government’s primary vehicle for providing support to sports clubs and communities to develop sports infrastructure around the country. Applications can only be made online from 9am on Friday 7th September until 5pm on Friday 19th October, 2018.

Garret Ahearn said –  “The opening of this new round of the Sports Capital Programme shows that we are committed to delivering for sports Clubs in Tipperary. The programme itself has already transformed sports Clubs around the county. The €40 million that is now available provides an opportunity for even further improvements and I would urge all organisations in Tipperary with a suitable project to apply”.

The Minister of State, Brendan Griffin highlighted the changes to the terms of the new programme. “While the Sports Capital Programme is already hugely popular with sports clubs across so many different sporting disciplines, we are determined to make the application process as simple and user-friendly as possible. 

“We undertook a detailed review of the 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme and the recommendations arising have been fully factored in to the new terms and conditions of the 2018 scheme.  In particular, we are introducing some significant changes in our assessment methodology to ensure that we minimise the number of invalid applications.

“We will also give even greater priority to applications from disadvantaged areas and projects that promote the sharing of sports facilities with other clubs and the wider community.”

All applicants must be registered on the Department’s online system and Mr Ahearn encouraged any clubs which are not already registered to do so now.

The guide to making an application was also published on the Department’s website today onwww.sportscapitalprogramme.ie. Registrations will close at 5pm on Friday 5thOctober. 

Mr Ahearn also said he was  “delighted that this year, following an agreement by both the Department if Education and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, all schools will now be able to avail of the Sports Capital Grant Scheme, regardless of the who owns the school’s land so long as they do so jointly with a sports club. This is a great opportunity and I encourage all interested schools to apply.”

Clubs who wish to register on the Department’s online system can do so now atwww.sportscapitalprogramme.ie. Once registered, all applications must be made on the same website. The system will be open for applications from 9am on Friday 7th September to 5pm on Friday 19th October, 2018.

Mr Ahearn concluded that “a guide to making an application and a link to YouTube video instructions is also available on the Department’s website but anyone who would like assistance with their application can contact me directly”