Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the chance to contribute, and preface my remarks by congratulating the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, on his efforts not only in sport but in the other elements of his portfolio. I have a great deal of contact with him on various issues, something understandable given my major urban constituency. His work gets a great deal of credit on the doorsteps. I will speak at length on sport, but he knows we have been very keen to promote local tourism in Tallaght, and he has been of great assistance in that regard.

Within his arts remit, he has been particularly helpful to my community, visiting the Civic Theatre on more than one occasion, and I am proud of his commitment. I note that colleagues have taken advantage of the business of this debate to discuss a wide range of issues, and I hope that I will be granted a little latitude, since I would like to discuss my constituency, the merits of sport, and recent developments. I hope the Ceann Comhairle will be amenable.

I have a strong commitment to the concept of sport for all, and I am glad the Minister supports that. I have occasionally said that I bring my life experiences to my politics. I had the opportunity of working with the Community Games organisation, being national public relations officer for ten long years from 1979 to 1989. It was a remarkable period for me in the sense that it gave me a very strong community base. Colleagues may be surprised to learn that I had the chance to work not only with organisations in Tallaght but throughout the Dublin region and across the country. I was very happy and comfortable in that, and I have always believed that the Community Games have made a tremendous contribution since their foundation in 1967.

It was good to hear other colleagues speak on the subject during the debate. I listened very attentively to Deputy Dennehy speak with reference to Cork. There has been great achievement in that regard, and the Community Games organisation can certainly be credited, in its early years and since, with identifying the need for sports facilities in many communities throughout the country and helping organisations mount campaigns. I was delighted to be in Dublin Castle recently, where my party leader, the Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, paid a very genuine tribute to Joe Connolly, who founded the Community Games, which are still going strong, in 1967. I have seen the organisation go into every community in the country. It can be credited with great achievements as far as identifying community facilities is concerned.

I know the Ceann Comhairle had a long-standing interest in the Community Games, which I am glad to acknowledge. The organisation was about seeking out the child that might not otherwise have had the chance to be introduced to cultural and sporting activities. Over the years, they were particularly successful in identifying Irish talent, and Roy Keane, John Treacy, Sonia O'Sullivan, Niall Quinn and many others had the opportunity of finding their way first in the Community Games and then going on to greater glory. The first Community Games, held in 1967, produced the young Eamonn Coghlan, and that is a great tribute to it.

It is important that we examine the concept of Community Games and how sport has developed. When even my Opposition colleagues tell me that the economy is doing well and that we are a great and rich country, I highlight the importance of our taking advantage of that wealth to provide facilities for future generations. People are entitled to make political points about how Government moneys should be spent and what should be done. Over the years, there have been many demands for health, education and housing, and that is absolutely as it should be. Sometimes, as the Minister will know, cheap political points are made regarding finding money to build first-class facilities.

However, we have an obligation to future generations when it comes to facilities, not only those in communities but also more major ones. I do not wish to upset anyone by talking about the famous Abbotstown bowl, but money should be available to the Government to provide facilities. That is why I strongly support what the Minister is attempting with the national sports campus development authority. Abbotstown is a fine site, and what the Minister proposes will attract a great deal of support and attention. Many colleagues on the other side would, if they had the opportunity, do exactly as the Minister. I heard Deputy Dennehy give credit to the Minister's colleague, Deputy Deenihan, yesterday. Many have taken a very fair stand regarding the development of sport and sporting facilities, and that is only right.

It is important to convey to the Minister the strong impression that as a country we are achieving a great deal in sports. Over the past few weeks we have been the envy of many larger states. Our rugby team performed heroics last Saturday. I would love to say that there was someone from Tallaght on the team, but I am afraid not, although Malcolm O'Kelly is a member of the St. Mary's Rugby Club in Templeogue in my constituency, and I am proud of him. Deputy Dennehy spoke a great deal last night about Derval O'Rourke, the young athlete from Douglas of whom we are all very proud. I need hardly remind Members that the current captain of the Irish soccer squad, Robbie Keane, is a Tallaght man, and there are other members of my community on that team too.

It is important we appreciate the great strides Irish sport is making, providing clear vindication of the Minister's policy on supporting sport and new facilities. There is no question that if we continue to provide world-class facilities in Lansdowne Road, Croke Park, and elsewhere — since there are gaps — we will continue to reap the benefits. Future generations will thank us for that, and there will be more people like Robbie Keane, Derval O'Rourke and Malcolm O'Kelly, those Irish stars whom we all revere. It is important that the Minister understands the merits of that policy.

I do not intend to upset anyone, but I attended a soccer tournament in a local school last night and was prevailed upon at short notice to tog up and play with Deputy Crowe and Senator Brian Hayes. Members should not tell them that I mentioned it, but it was an amazing experience. I am often keen to challenge young people's cynicism regarding politics, a task we all face. They must understand that we politicians have all done it, and some are far more famous as sportspeople than I could ever be. To see young people respond to politicians helping a good cause and participating shows that one is on the right road.

The session was in St. MacDara's in my constituency, where a PE hall has been provided for the last few years. On my way to Dáil Éireann this morning, I visited Firhouse community college to have another look at the PE hall there, which has been funded and developed and is now open for the school's use. We are trying to create a situation whereby the Department of Education and Science would fund the further development of services. I strongly support the concept of giving people in school and the wider community every opportunity to play and involve themselves in sport. While I accept that not everyone will wish to do so, many will.

I wish to discuss my community. As the Minister is aware, I represent Dublin South-West, which embraces the rural areas of Brittas and Bohernabreena, as well as the major urban areas of Firhouse, Templeogue, Greenhills and Tallaght, the third largest population centre in the country. We have been fortunate that the Government and the Minister have been able to fund good projects in the community. All the local GAA clubs have benefited, such as St. Jude's, Faughs, St. Anne's in Bohernabreena, St. Mark's in my parish of Springfield, Thomas Davis and Ballyboden St. Enda's.

The Minister is aware of the current debate regarding facilities in Tallaght which continually fills the newspapers. Members should be brave enough to record that successive Governments, and this Minister in particular, have been extremely generous in that regard. Public money has been spent appropriately by providing good facilities of which people can take advantage. All can support such a policy and understand its merits.

Many other worthwhile developments have taken place in Tallaght. The soon to be opened swimming pool in Jobstown will provide a major boost to both the estates in Tallaght west and Tallaght and will supplement the facilities already available in Tallaght community school. People will be keen about this facility and I look forward to its opening, as well as to the Minister paying a visit to view it.

Over the years, Tallaght has been earmarked as the site for a number of different facilities. For a while, the FAI seriously considered the possibility of building its national soccer stadium in Westbrook in Tallaght west. I was Cathaoirleach of the council from 1999 to 2000, when that campaign was under way. I have always regretted that someone lost his or her nerve and the project did not go ahead, as it was an ideal location.

Tallaght is the third largest population centre in the country and has made amazing progress as far as the provision of facilities is concerned. The Luas runs there and will be extended as far as Citywest. Many new hotels and infrastructure have been constructed and Tallaght also has The Square shopping centre, the hospital and a Garda station, which may be required with regard to the provision of sports facilities. It is an ideal location.

I have used the business of the House to raise the issue of the further development of facilities in the Tallaght area. In particular, I have referred to the athletics track on the Greenhills road which was developed by South Dublin County Council in 1999 and which opened during my term as Cathaoirleach. It is now operated by the Tallaght Athletics Club and could be developed further by the provision of a tartan track. I am proud that Tallaght has a young population and we have the potential to provide future Irish stars in that respect. The Minister has been looking forward to the London Olympics and considering how Ireland might plug into its inherent potential by providing first class facilities for use by our athletes and sports people, as well as by visitors on their way to London. In terms of development, six years is not that far away.

I strongly support the Minister's actions and achievements, especially regarding the national sports campus. While other Members have asserted that this debate should not be concerned with small facilities, my constituency is not a small place and I have made a strong case for its potential. Places like Tallaght should be able to provide such facilities to visitors and for future sports events. I understand the Department has examined this possibility and I hope it will continue to so do.

No debate about sport or sports in Tallaght would be complete without a passing reference to its soccer stadium. Earlier, I was tempted to wear my Shamrock Rovers scarf. Yesterday however, I engaged in some banter with Deputy Kenny, who incorrectly thought I was posing as a Glasgow Celtic supporter — which is not to say that I would not support Glasgow Celtic. I calmly told him I was proudly wearing my Shamrock Rovers colours. Recently, I have been asked by many people in Tallaght whether I am making a statement by so doing. I am, as I strongly believe in the merits of developing the stadium in Tallaght. It is important for both Tallaght and the region as a whole. The Minister has bravely stood by his decisions in that regard and has major support in the Dublin region and beyond for so doing. In Tallaght, people do not stop me to complain about this issue. They have been extremely supportive of it.

I refer to the development of the national sports campus and what the Minister is trying to achieve with the proposed management structure. I have read through the Bill and its explanatory memorandum. While some minor amendments will probably be required, the Minister is on the right track and I strongly support him. When this Dáil term ends — I am confident it has another 400 or so days to run — the Minister will be able to look back on a period of achievement as far as his sports remit is concerned. At the outset, I noted that the Minister can also look back on his achievements in tourism and the arts, the details of which may be discussed another day. As far as sport is concerned, he will be viewed as the Minister who has provided systems and infrastructure. While there will always be issues about leaky pools in this imperfect world, I will not become as excited as Deputy Burton in that regard and I support the Minister's statements in this respect. His remit is to provide, on behalf of the State, first class sporting facilities that will be of use to future generations. In that respect, the Minister should understand that Members will support him.

Earlier, when I ambushed the Minister by raising the Shamrock Rovers issue, I did not wish to dwell on the subject. However, the Minister should know that there is much support in Tallaght, Dublin and elsewhere. For example, at a match two weeks ago at which Rovers made a temporary entrance to the first division and had a great win, people discussed the need for a first class modern stadium.

Without wishing to repeat myself, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle knows I am proud of Tallaght and its infrastructure and that it is a great place for a soccer stadium. Shamrock Rovers will play football there every second Friday and will also provide something which, as this Bill demonstrates, the Minister is keen to promote, namely, a major community service. The players will train in the area and the club will become involved in all the local schools. It has a number of community projects in hand, including a scholarship. I applaud the work of the 400 Club under the chairmanship of Mr. Jonathan Roche with the support of Mr. Ray Wilson. Mr. Wilson lives in Sidney and I am glad he is here today. What he is trying to achieve on behalf of Shamrock Rovers will get a great deal of support.

I am grateful for the opportunity to support the Minister and I look forward to supporting his Bill.

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