Sports clubs and organisations in Co Clare are reminded to prepare their applications for the 2017 Sports Capital Programme.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Patrick O’Donovan has confirmed that the application process will be open by January at the latest. Clubs and organisations will be given a number of weeks to complete the application process, but they are being advised to start preparing now. O’Donovan confirmed that he will be announcing more comprehensive details of the new round shortly, including all of the relevant deadline dates.
Fine Gael TD Joe Carey explained “It is good for sports clubs and organisations to get this advance notice of the application process, as many of them hold their AGMs around this time of year and they want to put their plans in place for 2017. For an application to be successful they must have matching funds and so it takes some preparation.
“Many clubs and organisations in Clare have benefitted from large grants under the Programme while several smaller clubs and organisations throughout the county have also benefitted over the years.
“The Sports Capital Programme represents an excellent value for money investment. It is crucial we invest in sport and the health of our population, particularly with obesity is on the rise. Investing in sport is good for the health of the nation, both literally and economically.
“So far this year, over €22.8 million has been paid out through the excellent Sports Capital Programme to 680 organisations across the country in order to support the development of sports facilities and the purchase of sports equipment” Deputy Carey concluded.