Donegal County Council says the proposed new Buncrana Leisure Centre is on a reserve list of projects which may be funded under the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund in the event that more funding becomes available.
Officials have been answering a number of questions from Cllr Jack Murray and Fionan Bradley.
Officials say the council submitted a detailed application in July of this year with a total project cost of just over €17 million. They say the Department has confirmed that this remains a live application process, and Buncrana Leisure Centre is on the reserve list of projects.
In answer to a specific questions from Cllr Murray, they say council has not received any detailed scoring for this application from the Department.
Also in answer to Cllr Murray, officials said the ATU submitted an application to the fund in 2019 for its new Sports Facility at Carnamuggagh, which was the number 1 ranked application in the county. Donegal County Council added the Buncrana Leisure Centre this year, and it has been given the next available priority ranking.
Answering a question from Cllr Fionan Bradley, officials confirmed the Buncrana application is seeking €375,000 next year, €4 million in 2026, and €12 million in 2027.
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Submitted By: Clr. Jack Murray
“Has the Council been provided with the scoring of applications to the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure
Fund?”
Answer
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media announced funding of up to
€120m under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) on the 26th April 2024. Applications for
the 2024 round of LSSIF closed on the 1st of July 2024. The council submitted a detailed application with
a total project cost of €17,037,547.00. The LSSIF application included the following; • Operational Plan •
Financial Analysis Base Case • Project Execution Plan • Planning Consent • Project Brief & Drawings •
Environmental Commitment & Sustainability & Buncrana Sustainable Development Goals Donegal County
Council has continued to engage with the Department since the LSSIF 2024 announcement on the 4th
November 2024. The Department has confirmed that this remains a live application process, that
Buncrana Leisure Centre application is on a reserve list of projects, and that “As additional LSSIF funding
becomes available projects on the reserve list should then be able to be funded.” Donegal County
Council has not received any detailed scoring for this application from the Department.
Submitted By: Clr. Jack Murray
“Can the Council executive explain how it prioritised applications to the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure
Fund and advise why elected members were not advised of this prioritisation?”
Answer –
The ATU submitted an application to the LSSIF in 2019 for their new Sports Facility which
was the number 1 ranked application in Donegal. Donegal County Council added the Buncrana LC
application to LSSIF in 2024 which was given the next available priority ranking
Submitted By: Clr. Fionán Bradley
“How many leisure centres in the county are currently waiting on, applying for or are actively seeking
funding to renovate, rebuild, restore or expand their facilities? If there is more than one such leisure
centre does the Council have a priority list for any such funding for those leisure centres? If there is a
priority list (in the event that there is more than 1 such centre) what is the rationale behind it?
Answer –
Donegal County Council provide ongoing financial and technical support to the Aura
Leisure Centre, Finn Valley Leisure Centre, Ballyshannon Leisure Centre, and
Waterworld, Bundoran, as well as actively advancing the proposed new Buncrana
Leisure Centre. This includes capital maintenance, infrastructural improvements,
and energy efficiency initiatives.
Projects and improvement initiatives are identified as part of a Leisure Centre
Capital Improvement Programme and a Capital Maintenance Programme, which
are set out in the Donegal County Council 3-Year Capital Programme.
The following extract from the Draft 3-Year Capital Budget 2025 – 2027, which will
be considered at the November Plenary Meeting, summarises the various initiatives
being progressed at the leisure centres.
5.8 – Leisure Centres
5.8.1 – Buncrana Leisure Centre
The proposed refurbishment of Buncrana Community Leisure Centre continues to
be progressed by Donegal County Council, in collaboration with the Buncrana
Community Leisure Centre Committee. The following is the current position with
the project;
Part 8 Planning was approved at the January 2024 Plenary Meeting of the
Council
Stage (i) Preliminary Design is complete at a cost of €68k plus VAT
Stage (ii) Detailed Design is at Stage 2b which is 50% complete and currently
paused at a cost of €68k + VAT
An application to the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) on 1st
July 2024.
Donegal County Council has continued to engage with the Department of
Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. They have confirmed
that this remains a live application process. Funding was not provided for
this project in the first allocation announced on 4th November 2024. Since
then, the Department has engaged with Donegal County Council and
confirmed that the project is on a reserve list of projects and that “As
additional LSSIF funding becomes available projects on the reserve list
should then be able to be funded.”
Donegal County Council will also continue to explore other funding
opportunities that may be available such as Shared Island and Re-Power
Buncrana under the RRDF Programme.
Should Stage (ii) Detailed Design be brought to completion in 2025 ie Tender
Action, Evaluation and Contract Award the Design fees incurred would be
€305,000 + VAT
5.8.2 – Ballyshannon Leisure Centre
Funding of €300,000 (70%) under Sports Capital & €78,734 (30%) under
Community Energy Grant was provided for Energy Efficiency measures at
Ballyshannon Leisure Centre. The works are practically complete and are at
commissioning stage.
These two projects when completed will result in 30% Energy Savings and a
reduction of 160 tonnes per annum of Carbon emissions. A further grant of
€190,056 was secured recently for a Hydro Pool under the 2023 Sports Capital
Programme, these works are currently at Design / Feasibility Stage.
5.8.3 – Waterworld
Part 8 Planning Approval was obtained at the September Plenary meeting of the
Council for a refurbishment of the existing Changing Village and a new entrance
foyer. These works have subsequently been tendered out and it is expected that a
contract will issue for €1.9 million with works to be completed in time for the 2025
season. An urgent issue has also arisen with the Air Handling Unit in the main pool
hall which is at end of life, this project alone could cost up to €500,000. A design
team is to be appointed to progress this matter as well as an Investment Grade
Audit of all energy opportunities.
5.8.4 – Aura Leisure Centre, Letterkenny
Aura received €180,934 (70%) under the 2023 Sports Capital Programme for LED
lighting & barriers at the athletic track as well as a new Mezzanine level studio
space. An application under the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat SSRH is also
being prepared for replacement of oil with a new biomass burner at a projected
cost of €500,000. This project is estimated to save 582 tCO2e equating to over
20% of the gap to target in DCCs heat emissions under the LA Climate Action Plan.
5.8.5 – Finn Valley Leisure Centre, Stranorlar
Funding of €200,000 (70%) for energy efficiency measures under the 2023 Sports
Capital Programme was recently received. An announcement is also due on a
Community Energy Grant application for similar works. A detailed assessment of
energy usage as part of the project is also ongoing with further measures to be
taken as soon as a programme of actions has been agreed.
5.8.6 – Leisure Centre Capital Maintenance Programme
Notwithstanding the Capital expenditure above there is also an emerging need for
capital maintenance and replacement works at each of the existing leisure centres
in the County which range in age from 13-32 years. This investment is necessary
to protect the assets and to maintain each facility to a required standard to attract
and retain customers. Failure to do so will have a detrimental effect on longevity
of these vitally important Community facilities. Capital replacement requirements
will be informed by periodic structural and fabric assessments of the various
facilities. This programme is currently estimated to require an annual investment
of €750,000. This work programme is to be resourced through a combination of
DCC and Department funding.
5.8.7 –Leisure Centre Energy Efficiency Programme
An energy efficiency invest-to-save programme is being developed by DCC for
improved energy performance systems and CO2e reductions at the existing leisure
centres to address climate action targets and the significantly increasing energy &
fuel costs. This programme will require an estimated €1.5m over the period 2025
2027. This work programme is to be resourced through a combination of DCC,
SEAI and Department funding.
It is intended to take the learnings from the recently completed Ballyshannon
project and other best practice initiatives nationwide into projects in our other
Leisure Centres.
The following table outlines the proposed budget costs;
NOTE: The figures below will attract grants on most energy and Sports
Capital Expenditure however the Waterworld project in 2025 is
predominantly own resources. The Capital Maintenance Programme is
also exclusively DCC own resources.
*Denotes Projected Energy Efficiency & SCG Works which will be grant aided
