Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 7 and 22 together.

Deputies will be aware the statutorily based National Sports Campus Development Authority has taken over the role and function of Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited since 1 January 2007 and that a fully-owned subsidiary of the authority, NSCDA (Operations) Limited, is now operating the National Aquatic Centre.

In order to provide commentary on the present trading and performance position it is necessary first to fill in the background. It will be recalled that the National Aquatic Centre was the first facility to be built as part of the sports campus at Abbotstown and opened in 2003. This was achieved on time and within budget. Shortly afterwards it successfully hosted the swimming events of the Special Olympics world summer games and the European Short Course Championships.

During 2005, CSID Ltd. initiated legal proceedings against Dublin Waterworld Limited, the private operators of the centre, because of the latter's failure to comply with its obligations under the lease. In November last, the Supreme Court confirmed an earlier order for possession of the centre in favour of CSID, and the facility was handed back to CSID on 1 December. Since then a primary objective has been to carry out a full "health check" on the centre and restore it to its original working standard. To this effect, to end of August last approximately €600,000 has been expended on remediation work, and that part of the work is now almost completed.

As the centre has reverted to the effective control of the authority by way of the above subsidiary company only within the last 12 months, a first full year's trading has yet to be completed. The issue of providing assistance for the operation of the National Aquatic Centre from a trading perspective, on an ongoing basis, is one that is being kept under ongoing consideration by the authority as the first year's trading has proceeded. However, preliminary indications at this stage are that a subsidy of up to €1.8 million will be required to fund the operational costs of the centre in 2007. At end year the outturn will be reviewed by the authority in the context of results of the first full year's trading and I have requested the authority to endeavour to reach a policy objective of at least break even in operating costs at the centre. At present approval for new funding has been given by the authority for €1.2 million capital works only.

In overall terms, I am advised that there have been more than 532,000 visits to the NAC, that is, in terms of the categories of swimming access, swimming lessons and membership, since the centre reverted to the overall control of the authority. This is regarded as a satisfactory base from which it can continue to grow.

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