John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

Work has commenced on the proposed national audit of sports facilities which is being undertaken by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism as part of the development of a long-term strategic plan for the provision of such facilities. A commitment to undertaking such an audit was included in 2002 in An Agreed Programme for Government, which covers the period up to 2007. The subgroup established to oversee the detailed work of the audit comprises representatives of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the Irish Sports Council, Campus Stadium Ireland and the Central Statistics Office. Expert assistance is being provided by local authorities. The subgroup has decided that the audit will be undertaken in a number of phases to speed up the availability of information. The first phase of the audit will be carried out largely within the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. It is likely that some external information technology expertise will be required to help to develop a database and map the data to be retained.

Completion of such a comprehensive exercise is a significant challenge for the Department, especially as its staff members face many other work pressures and commitments. In recognition of that fact, the inter-agency steering group decided to prioritise certain areas of work. The task being undertaken in the first phase of the project is the establishment of a record of national and regional sports facilities. That is being done immediately because we need to develop a comprehensive database on key strategic facilities as quickly as possible, not only if we are to put in place an effective long-term strategy but also if we are to maximise opportunities relating to the London Olympic Games in 2012. It is clear that many leading sporting teams are likely to decide over the next two to three years where they will locate their final pre-Olympic training camps. We will need to be in a position to promote what we have to offer by then. The first phase of the audit is likely to focus on key national facilities such as Croke Park, Lansdowne Road, the national aquatic centre, the national coaching and training centre in Limerick, Morton Stadium, the national rowing centre, the national basketball arena, the national hockey stadium, the national badminton centre and the national tennis centre. Other categories of facilities which will be included in the audit are the GAA county grounds, rugby and soccer league grounds, university sports campus facilities, sports centres run by local authorities, synthetic athletics tracks and swimming pools.

The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is drawing on the experience of the Northern Ireland Sports Council, which embarked on a similar exercise in recent years. It emerged clearly from the Northern Ireland experience that it is important to be able to access databases which are already in existence. Time and cost savings can be secured by accessing information held by local authorities, Departments and sports groups in advance of the start of the audit. The work being undertaken by the Department is a data-gathering exercise involving information in respect of facilities which have previously been funded under programmes administered by the Department.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

When the database has been finalised, the present state and condition of the facilities will be established by means of a detailed questionnaire that will be issued to their owners and managers. Ascertaining and mapping what is in place will be important in developing a strategic approach to future facility provision. It will help to establish the level of need that exists in the sports sector and to determine future priorities. Work on the development of a strategy for sports facilities has commenced. It is likely that the final report will cover a range of key issues such as the role of the sports capital programme, improved co-ordination and integration of funding among the various Departments and bodies, community access to school facilities, targets for the future provision of strategic facilities and other facility types and the impact of future funding. Discussions about the role of the sports capital programme and future priorities for facility provision have taken place with some of the key stakeholders. Meetings with additional stakeholders have not yet taken place. A position paper on the direction of the strategy is being prepared by the Department. I intend that a new strategy for provision of sports facilities will be in place for the 2007 sports capital programme.

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