Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I cannot tell the Deputy as I did not hire it. The history of the aquatic centre has been unhappy but I give credit to the chairman, Mr. Dan Flinter, and the group there currently, which has done a remarkable job since it took it over. The numbers have been brought back from approximately 350,000 and the group has addressed a raft of problems in the way the facility was being run. There are now over 700,000 using the facilities and that number is growing. They are the sorts of numbers that the Deputy and I would wish to see.

There is a significant number of school children, etc., getting training and all means possible are being used to increase numbers. It is clear that a similar facility on any international scale is in receipt of a subsidy. There is a similar one in Australia, which has a state subsidy of €2 million per year. With a subsidy of €1 million, the facility is very much at the lower end of the scale in that regard. This is because there are leisure facilities and income is being generated.

The new group has done remarkable job in reducing energy costs and that is reflected in the decreasing subsidy. It brought the best people in to advise on all aspects of the issue. I have had numerous meetings with the chairman and there is a level of frustration. There is anecdotal evidence that appears every now and again from one or two sources that seems to gather a bit of momentum regarding how the place is being run.

I have examined this facility as it is so important, both nationally and internationally. We want to maximise the use of it and this has now been done. Those involved in running it would accept that as they have resolved many of the significant problems regarding personnel, etc. There is a new platform on which to work and the facility will probably get that subsidy.

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