Hundreds of clubs and organisations which have secured funding from the National Lottery could lose the money if their projects are not undertaken quickly enough, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation has warned.
A letter from Dr McDaid to his party colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Mr Walsh, warns that if clubs and organisations do not proceed speedily with their projects once a grant has been confirmed, it has the effect of the financial provision for the Sport Capital Programme being underspent and the balance ultimately returned to the Exchequer at the end of the year. The letter, dated October 19th, says: "I would ask you to encourage clubs and organisations in your area which benefited under the programme in 1999 to accelerate their project so that the provision for the programme can be drawn down this year."
Mr Walsh is also asked to note the "sunset clause" in the programme, whereby clubs and organisations that have not started construction within 12 months of the award being made, will have their grants withdrawn. This clause would be rigidly enforced by his Department, Dr McDaid stressed.
Following a review of the Sport Capital Programme, the letter says, a new programme was advertised late last year. More than 1,900 applications were received from sports clubs, community groups and voluntary organisations. Allocations totalling £14.44 million were made to almost 400 projects last July.