Minister Martin said: “In relation to Covid, unfortunately we are all aware that it has been necessary to move to Level 5 restrictions in recent weeks, with consequences for travel generally and particularly for the construction sector. My Department has been receiving a number of enquiries from potential applicants expressing concern at the original deadline and I am delighted that we have now agreed to further extend the application period.”

The Minister of State with responsibility for Sport, Jack Chambers, reiterated the importance of the programme: “The SCEP plays a critical role in getting as many people participating in sport as possible. The Covid crisis has shown just how important sport is to the Irish people and I want as many clubs as possible to benefit from this important funding. While the original application period was already longer than usual to take account of Covid-related restrictions, I am delighted to give this extra time to ensure that all clubs with suitable projects can get their applications submitted.”

The SCEP is the Government's primary vehicle for providing support to sports clubs and communities to develop sports infrastructure around the country. The Guide to Making an Application is available on the Department's website and can be found here: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/d13385-sports-capital-programme/. At least €40m is being made available under this current round of the Programme.