Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a question. It is a general question but is based on the issues Deputy Murphy raises. Regarding the 2040 plan and population growth, taking places such as Drogheda, which has been designated a national growth centre, there will be significant population changes. The population of Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington in east Meath, for example, has grown from 5,000 to more than 10,000 in an eight-year period. Is there a case for planning sports infrastructure based on population needs? Our populations are expanding. Deputy Murphy rightly picked a conurbation that is bigger than the city of Waterford, and the population of my area is basically the same as that. There is a deficit, and the problem I see that is really serious is that the planning pressure comes from developers either to purchase existing sports facility grounds and therefore move them away from where the population is or, alternatively, to put pressure on planning authorities for developments without adequate and proper sports facilities. In other words, should there be, nationally and locally, a sports plan for the expected growth of each growth area in that an area may need X number of playing pitches, Y amount of green space and Z amount of whatever else? Planners and developers put fierce pressure on local authorities, and we need proper planning and development, we need proper green recreational space and we need proper swimming pools and other facilities. I do not expect the Minister to answer my question today but I hope this committee might, with the support and agreement of his Department, look at this issue in a national way in order that there are proper recreational facilities and amenities that are contiguous with the expected growth as we decide as a nation to increase the populations in these areas. One cannot have huge areas with no facilities, with developers running riot and the people left with no infrastructure, with nothing. I am not just talking about sports infrastructure, there are shopping and other facilities. However, does the Minister and his Department consider we should meet about just the sports section as a committee?