Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I thank the office of the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me and Deputy O'Connor to raise this very important matter. Not only does it affect the two sports halls in our constituency, namely those in Killinarden and Firhouse, but also the centres in Palmerstown and Collinstown.

The concept of dual sports halls first came into being when the Government made €34 million available for nine halls nationally. The halls were to be used in a dual capacity and were to be much more significant than the average PE hall. They are three times the size of the latter, they are equipped to a very high standard and, most important, they are accessible to the wider local population as well as the school population. The objective was that the four halls in question would be open 24 hours per day, seven days per week, such that the community would have use of them after school hours. The former Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin, stated the project was to encourage positive links between the local community and schools and to open up the state of the art facilities to young people from disadvantaged communities. This holds true for Killinarden and Firhouse.

I understand from County Dublin Vocational Education Committee that 8,000 people use the halls constantly. Not only are they used by the local community schools, they are also used by the local national schools. This is an extraordinary asset to primary education. It is very important that we save the jobs in Firhouse and Killinarden in addition to the facilities. The funding provided under the dormant accounts fund or the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund has now dried up. I am aware that a clear verbal commitment was made by the Department of Education and Science to County Dublin Vocational Education Committee that necessary replacement funding would be found once the initial phase of funding ended. It has now come to an end.

In a few months, the facilities in Firhouse and Killinarden, designed for multi-purpose use, including community use, twenty four hours per day, will no longer be available unless replacement funding is found to keep them open and to keep the capital investment, which has been so wisely used, to the forefront of our entire endeavour as a local community. We await what I hope will be the positive remarks of the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science. Otherwise, the facilities will be closed after 4 p.m. each day, which none of us can accept.

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