Only sports clubs from Dublin were successful in securing 100 per cent
of their requested funding in an appeals system for the Sports Capital Programme
authorised by Shane Ross, the sports minister, The Times can reveal.
An analysis of the first-ever appeals process used in awarding grants
under the programme highlights an anomaly in the structure of the scheme which
rewards Dublin-based applicants – even ones that are rated poorly in a marking
scheme devised by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
It reveals that only 12 out of 35 successful applicants in the appeal process
were awarded the full amount they had requested. All were based in Dublin.
They included Wesley College and Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club, which
are based in Mr Ross’s constituency and Loreto Beaufort, which borders the minister’s
Dublin Rathdown base, with all securing the maximum grant of €150,000.
All three projects, which related to the development of hockey pitches,
scored highly obtaining 57 out of a possible 87 points. The national average was 44.
In contrast Malahide Golf Club which also secured its requested grant of
€150,000 on appeal only scored 33 points, while Sutton Lawn Tennis Club with 31
points was awarded the €134,261 that it had requested.
Slade Valley Golf Club in Brittas obtained its full request for €97,761
with a score of 28 points and Man of War GAA Club got its full request for €67,400
despite only obtaining a score of 24 points.
Cuala GAA, Peamount Football Club and Rathdown School in Glenageary obtained
below-average scores but were awarded the full amount they had asked for.
In contrast Castlecomer Community School in Co Kilkenny was only awarded
€90,500 out of the €150,000 it had sought, despite scoring 67 points – the
second highest marking among appeal applicants.
Kildangan GAA club in Co Tipperary only received just over half the €100,000
it had sought, notwithstanding having the third highest score nationally with
65 points.
Similarly Killaloe-Ballina Lawn Tennis Club in Co Clare applied for €150,000
but only got €63,000, although it scored 59 points – a score higher than any Dublin
applicant.
Almost €59 million was distributed to sports clubs and community groups around
the country in the 2017 round of the programme, including €2.7 million during
the appeals stage.
A spokeswoman for Mr Ross defended the allocation system claiming grants
were awarded to each county on a per capita basis.
She said the appeal process was introduced for the first time ever last
year at the initiative of department officials “in the interest of equity and
fairness.”
Almost 500 unsuccessful applicants were invited to appeal the decision
that their application was invalid.
Only 35 out of 149 sports clubs and community groups which lodged an
appeal were successful.
The spokeswoman said all candidates were assessed by the same marking system
used in the original round when over 1,700 clubs and groups were awarded
funding.
She pointed out that the excess amount which could not be distributed to
Dublin was reallocated to other parts of the country.
According to the department, there were applications for every 4,700
people from clubs based in Dublin compared to applications for every 1,700 people
for the rest of the country.
Officials claim the proportionately fewer applications from Dublin
increases the chances of clubs in the capital obtaining the full amount of
funding that they request.
“As the funding for each county is ring-fenced projects were only
competing against other projects from the same county,” one official explained.
Asked if the system was unfair against clubs based outside Dublin whichobtained
high scores, Mr Ross’ spokeswoman said the Department of Transport, Tourism and
Sport was undertaking a review of the recent awards with a view to making
recommendations on how to improve the scheme.
“The review will consider any changes required to the eligibility criteria,”
she said.
Separately, department officials are also conducting a value for money
review of the grants scheme which will examine the impact the programme is
having on participation in sport.
Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil spokesman on sport, has called for a refinement
on the current rules of the scheme to redress the imbalance between sports
clubs in Dublin and the rest of the country.
Earlier this week Mr Ross denied that he had played any role in decisions
on which applicants were awarded grants.
The principals of both Wesley College and Loreto Beaufort had publicly thanked
the minister for his “support”
Mr Ross expressed regret that he had issued a tweet announcing the €150,000
grant to Wesley College, claiming it was “an error of judgement.”
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