'Get going on sports grants', deputy urges

Sports clubs in Kildare should be working on their applications to get a share of a €30m infrastructure fund announced by the Government, writes Brian Byrne.

The money is in the Sports Capital Programme for 2017, and FG TD for Kildare South Martin Heydon says he wants to see Kildare clubs and organisations ‘benefit as much as possible’ from this funding.

Clubs and sports organisations can register at sportscapitalprogramme.ie. Online applications will then be accepted from 23 January to 24 February 2017.

“The application form has been significantly shortened,” Deputy Heydon added, “and the Department of Sport has published a helpful guide to the application process on their dedicated Sports Capital Programme website.

Items which can be funded by the Programme include the provision of natural grass sports pitches, tracks and courts (including pitch drainage); floodlighting; artificial sports pitches, tracks, courts and multi-use games areas; security fencing, ball stop netting and goal posts; hurling walls and handball alleys.

It also applies to applications for building or refurbishment of dressing rooms, showers and toilets; building or refurbishment of sports halls and gyms; and non-personal equipment including lawn mowers and defibrillators.

Anything set in the ground, such as goal posts, is not considered equipment.

So far in 2016, over €22.8 million has been paid out to 680 organisations to support the development of sports facilities and the purchase of sports equipment through the Sports Capital Programme.