John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

The proposed nationwide audit of sports facilities is being carried out in stages to help speed up the availability of information. The first phase of the audit will establish a record of national and regional sports facilities and is being carried out within my Department.

The work being undertaken is a data gathering exercise in conjunction with the main sporting bodies and local authorities to identify the facilities for inclusion in this phase. Having identified in excess of 100 sports facilities of national or regional significance funded under my Department's sports capital programme since 1999, my Department has written to 16 of the main sporting bodies seeking their input before finalising this list of national and regional sports facilities.

This draft list, which will also include details of third level educational institutions and swimming pools, will be sent to local authorities for their input before it is completed. Following this, a detailed questionnaire seeking the necessary information on the sports facilities will issue to facility owners and managers, and this will be used to establish a comprehensive database. Work has commenced on the content of this questionnaire, which should be ready for issue by the end of the summer.

It is expected that the detailed information to be provided in response to the questionnaire will be collated and stored on a database by the end of the year. By ascertaining and mapping what is already in place at a national and regional level, an important part of developing a strategic approach to future facility provision is put in place.

This is also of critical importance in the context of maximising opportunities around the London Olympics in 2012. It is clear that decisions on where to locate their final pre-Olympic training camps are likely to be taken by many of the leading sporting teams over the next two to three years. The president of the Olympic Council of Ireland, Mr. Pat Hickey, has advised me that he has already received inquires from several high profile countries.

In addition to key national facilities such as the National Aquatic Centre, Morton Stadium and national centres for other sports such as rowing, basketball, hockey and tennis, this first phase of the audit will also include universities. The location of a wide range of sporting facilities, along with living accommodation in a campus style setting, may be an important requirement for visiting teams.

The enormity of completing the audit of sports facilities, even in this initial phase, should not be underestimated. Given the experience of other countries, it is likely to take a number of years to complete. The benefits will be considerable, and in establishing the level of need that still exists in the sports sector and helping to determine future priorities, it will underpin a strategic approach to facility provision.

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