Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

This question arises from promises in the programme for Government, and the audit was to be carried out. When is the expected date for its conclusion and publication? I appreciate that considerable funding has come from the Minister's Department, which has been helpful. For example, a swimming pool in Skerries would not be built, along with many other projects, only for such funding. I also acknowledge co-operation with the Department of Education and Science to ensure that facilities are used to their maximum capacity.

Nevertheless, there is a growing reliance in communities on private funding for facilities. As long as facilities are provided, any funding is good funding. There are a number of projects that slip through the net. Speaking to constituents, the Minister and I know how fairly basic facilities, such as a skateboard park costing approximately €40,000, are not in place. They seem to be plentiful in other European countries. In this country it is different. One is being built in Drogheda, but there is none for Dundalk. There is one planned for Swords, but none for Balbriggan.

There is a selective and insufficient provision of quite basic facilities, which are important in the first instance because of the issue of childhood obesity, but are also important for the basic quality of life we expect for people. Does this fall through the net, given the Minister's comments about the Olympics and other high level sport activity?

There was a promise when the Minister's predecessor, Deputy McDaid, was responsible for such matters, that there would be an indoor athletic area in Santry for people who depend on Santry's stadium at the moment. Many of those athletes now have to go abroad. One of our top athletes, who was from Donabate, was tragically killed in a road accident abroad recently. There are many athletes — although not many of her high standard — who have to go abroad for training. Appropriate indoor training facilities do not exist in this country.

Is that a priority? When the audit is done, will there be a priority on the absolute needs, especially based on promises made and which badly need to be fulfilled? Morton Stadium does a fantastic job, but an indoor athletic arena is badly needed.

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