I welcome this week's announcement that grants worth €10 million are being provided for sporting equipment. This has been welcomed by many local and regional clubs. Like the Taoiseach and the Ministers and Ministers of State who are with him, I have been contacted by many clubs that have a keen interest in finding out when the main sports capital grants will be announced. These grants have kept many local sports clubs, including those in rural areas, going over recent years. This allocation has probably been one of the best things the Government has done in recent years. When can we expect the main sports capital grants to be announced?

I thank the Deputy for welcoming the grants, which are very important for local clubs, as he knows. This tranche of funding under the 2018 programme was open to applications for equipment only. Approximately 1,500 applications were received from clubs for funding for equipment and other capital developments. It is hoped that decisions in respect of those applications will be announced in or around September. The announcements that were made last Sunday and Monday relate to applications for equipment only. Clubs that were unsuccessful in their applications for money from the tranche of funding that was announced earlier this week may appeal the findings as well. Officials from the Department will be in touch with unsuccessful clubs this week in that regard.