Funding sought for sport centre
An application has been lodged for funding geared towards developing a new multi-million euro state-of-the-art sports campus facility for County Cavan.
Cavan County Council is understood to have submitted the application in respect of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) ahead of the closure deadline last week, April 17.
This facility, once built, would boast four pitches, a 4G pitch for Gaelic football, soccer and rugby, basketball and hockey courts, as well as facilities for badminton, tennis, and athletics.
At least €100 million has been made available under LSSIF after the scheme was launched in November 2018.
Perhaps, most interestingly, the current upheaval at the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) in light of the board's departure and controversy over former CEO John Delaney's expenses, could play into the hands of the Cavan plan becoming a reality.
It follows Sports Minister Shane Ross' comments that the FAI may not be eligible for new capital sports grants over ongoing concerns around the sporting body's corporate governance arising from Mr Delaney's €100,000 loan to the association in 2017.
A proposed €5m grant to the Aviva Stadium for a Euro 2020 upgrade, and €10m needed to developed a centre of excellence at Glanmire in Cork, are two projects that now look potentially vulnerable.
The Cavan multi-sports facility is expected to cost in the region of €20 million once completed.
A feasibility study for the project concluded back in February, which identified three specific sites in and around Cavan Town and its nearby environs.
Senior officials at the Council spent the past number of months actively engaging with relevant stakeholder groups, including locals sport clubs, and local landowners.
What is envisaged is of similar scale to the hugely successful Erne East 'Peace Link' Sports Centre in Clones.
Under plans to spend €115 million over the next three years to develop towns and services across the Cavan, the local authority has ring-fenced funding to progress their plans, totalling €450,000 in the initial phases between 2019 and 2020.
This would be followed by a much larger investment worth in the region of €4,500,000 in 2021.
Last week, while Minister Ross said his Department had not yet received any plans to build a sports facility in Co Cavan, he did encourage an application under LSSIF.
“The fund is initially focused on the requirements and development plans of National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Authorities, all of which received letters inviting them to make applications. Decisions on the timing of the next round of the LSSIF will be taken once the assessment of all applications is complete and grants have been announced.”
His reply came on foot of a parliamentary question tabled by Cavan-Monaghan TD Niamh Smyth, who urged that the Council's application might be looked upon favourably.
“I will be meeting the Minister Shane Ross and speaking to him again on this matter to impress upon him the need to provide county Cavan and its sports people with the multi-sports facility that they deserve.”
She added: “I would like to compliment our local authority Cavan County Council on leading the charge on this fantastic opportunity for our county.
“This can only compliment the wonderful work or our clubs and County Board.”