Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I congratulate both the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy Brennan, on their new positions. I am sure we will have many constructive debates.

This report highlights points I have been making for a long time and I will read an extract from the second paragraph on the second page. It states, "Seen in this light a concern with Irish sports policy is that it relies almost exclusively on improvements in facilities to increase involvement, with little contact or communication directed towards people who do not currently participate in sport." This represents a major problem.

Local clubs and teams cherry-pick the best players in estates that experience anti-social behaviour and nothing is being done to involve more children from the areas highlighted in the report. I asked the previous Minister to examine this issue because there is a need to provide personnel along with facilities and, in doing so, move the goalposts regarding funding. Some clubs have used funding for the advancement of their communities while others have used it for members' facilities and this is where questions arise. Can the Minister direct the Irish Sports Council to have more involvement in communities, rather than clubs? We must foster communities, rather than clubs, around the facilities that have been provided.

Sports partnerships are a good thing but are understaffed. In local sports partnerships in Kildare only two people cater for 150,000 people and this is not enough to address the problems that exist. Can the Minister move the goalposts towards the facilities and personnel aspects of lottery funding? Can he increase the number of staff involved in local sports partnerships to give them the opportunity to build on the good work that is being done?

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