Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

The development of a national sports facilities strategy was originally a commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government 2002-2007. Before commencing work on the strategy, an assessment of the sports capital programme was undertaken. This was done in the context of an expenditure review of the programme, which sought to assess the benefits that the investment had yielded to date and identify any difficulties or inefficiencies associated with the operation of the programme. This review, which commenced in 2003, took longer than expected to complete due to the scale of the programme and the time required to analyse the volume of information and data that was collected during the review.

The expenditure review report was completed in 2005, following which an inter-agency steering group was established by this Department to oversee the development of the strategy. The group comprised representatives from my Department and the Departments of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Education and Science, Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Finance, along with the Irish Sports Council, the National Sports Campus Development Authority and the County and City Managers' Association. Consultants were engaged to assist in the development of the strategy.

In order to generate a clear picture of the important issues to be considered in the provision of sports facilities, a wide range of stakeholders, including other Departments, local authorities, national governing bodies of sport, local sports partnerships, sports clubs and interested individuals were consulted during the drafting of the strategy. A review was also carried out of existing national and international reports, studies and strategies relating to facility provision.

A draft national sports facility strategy for the period 2010-15 has now been completed within my Department and has been circulated to a number of other Departments and relevant bodies for observations. Any comments received will be taken into consideration and the Minister intends to submit the strategy to Government shortly for its consideration and publication. The aim of the national sports facilities strategy is to provide high-level policy direction for future investment and grant assistance at national, regional and local level. The strategy also identifies the wider economic, health and social case for continued investment in sports facilities. It aims to prioritise areas for future investment and to ensure continued impact in the relevant areas.

As the Deputy will be aware, no new applications for funding under the sports capital programme were invited in 2009. It is the Minister's intention that it will be on the basis of the new strategy for sports facilities that future funding of such facilities will be determined.

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