Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. I thank them for their presentations and for dealing with the questions earlier.

I want to focus on the issue of funding for sports capital projects and the co-ordination between the various Departments and local authorities. One of the issues we are focusing on is the building of additional housing and apartments. Is there a policy within the Department to connect with local authorities, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, schools and the Department of Education on the co-ordination of the development of sports facilities? If a sports facility is sited alongside a school or a third level college, maximum use will be made of it. There will probably be a sports club there, probably after 6 p.m. in a lot of cases, or at weekends, but it will not be used between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. unless it is alongside a school or third level college. We are talking about getting value for money for the taxpayer. A lot of money is being allocated in sports grants and development projects, but are we getting value for money? If a sports complex is miles away from a local school or college, it will not generate the same benefit as if it was colocated.

This is particularly the case where we have a huge growth in population. What really brought it home to me recently is an example in Glanmire, County Cork. A lease was granted to the FAI quite a number of years ago for 30 acres alongside a major urban centre. Nothing has happened with the facility and no development has occurred, yet all of the sports organisations in that area are crying out for facilities. What engagement has the Department had with local authorities and the Departments of Education and Housing, Local Government and Heritage about co-ordination and planning for the spending of moneys?