Sports Facility Strategy & National Audit of Local Sports Facilities

The programme for Government includes a commitment to complete a national audit of local sports facilities and to put in place a long-term strategic plan to ensure the development of such necessary facilities throughout the country.
Current Government policy in relation to the provision of sport facilities comprises three distinct elements:

  1. the Sports Capital programme which awards grants to suitable capital projects that directly relate to the provision of sports facilities;
  2. 2. the Local Authority Swimming pool programme which provides grants to Local Government or its agencies to build or refurbish pools; and
  3. 3. once-off Major Sport Capital Projects such as the National Aquatic Centre, Croke Park and the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road Stadium

The first step in the process of developing a Sports Facility Strategy was the undertaking of the Sports Capital Programme Expenditure Review

An inter-agency steering group was established to oversee the development of the strategy. The group is comprised of representatives from this Department along with officials from the Departments of Education and Science; Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs; Environment, Heritage & Local Government and Finance in addition to representatives of the Irish Sports Council; Sports Campus Ireland; and the County & City Managers Association.

Consultants, involving both national and international experts in the area of sports facilities, were engaged to assist in the preparation of the strategy. Their report is being finalised at present and will then be appraised by the steering group.


The aim of the strategy is to provide high-level policy direction for future investment/grant assistance at national, regional and local level. It is intended to identify the facilities requirement for sport so that participation at reasonable cost is feasible for those who wish to engage in sport at either amateur or elite level.


The consultants remit included an audit of national and regional sports facilities which will feed into the national audit of sports facilities being undertaken by the Department. This audit is part of the wider exercise to put in place a more strategic approach to the provision of sports facilities in Ireland through the development of the National Sports Facility Strategy.


The next phase of the audit, which is a more complex undertaking to establish a record of existing sports facilities at local level and identifying the need for future provision, will be undertaken during 2008 with the assistance of Local Authorities. Guidelines have now been issued to Local Authorities to assist them in carrying out the audit.