Dáil debates

Thursday, 17 November 2005

Other Questions.

Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

4:00 pm

Photo of Dan BoyleDan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will report on his meeting with Mr. David Hanson MP, Northern Ireland's Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, particularly in the context of opportunities arising from London hosting the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. [34806/05]

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 28: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if funding will be provided to create sports training facilities ahead of the London 2012 Olympics in order to attract competing athletes from other nations; his views on whether this is a matter of urgency in view of the short timeframe; his plan to maximise both tourism and sporting opportunities ahead of the games; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34878/05]

Photo of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 28 together.

I recently met with David Hanson MP, Northern Ireland's Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure for discussions on a number of sports issues, including the opportunities arising from London hosting the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The selection of London last July as the host city for the 2012 games offers Ireland an unprecedented opportunity for business, tourism and sport. Minister Hanson and I agreed there were tremendous opportunities for both Northern Ireland and the Republic to benefit from the games. The existing close working relationships which exist, both at departmental and sports council levels, will provide a solid basis upon which to maximise the opportunities ahead.

Undoubtedly many of the participating countries will be seeking to locate their competing athletes for pre-tournament training in places in close proximity to the United Kingdom and I have been advised by the President of the Olympic Council of Ireland that a number of countries have already inquired about the possibility of using Ireland as a base in the lead up to the London games. The attraction of Ireland to overseas teams participating in the games for acclimatisation and preparation purposes is an area on which the Irish Sports Council and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland could co-operate.

Since 1997, the Government has invested in excess of €700 million in Irish sport. Of this amount, approximately €500 million has been spent on the development of sporting facilities at a national, regional and local level. A significant proportion of this investment has gone towards developing a network of top class facilities around the country designed to meet the training, coaching and competition needs of our elite competitors in a wide spectrum of sports.

Among the major projects which have been supported are the Croke Park stadium, the National Aquatic Centre, the National Rowing Centre at Inniscarra, the national tennis centre, the National Boxing Stadium, the National Hockey Stadium at UCD and the National Coaching and Training Centre at the University of Limerick, which complements the wide range of top quality facilities provided at the university many of which have been used by international sportspersons. In addition, the early delivery of a sports campus at Abbotstown, which is being considered by the Government for funding in the context of the multiannual capital investment framework for 2006-10, would be a key element to Ireland's capacity to attract competing athletes to locate here.

With an estimated 1 million additional visitors to Athens for the 2004 Olympics, Ireland will be hoping to attract substantial additional visitors around the 2012 games with significant benefits for the tourism industry. Both Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland will be considering how best to tap into the potential tourism spin-off from the Olympic Games in London in 2012. Ease of access to London from an increasing number of airports on the island will be an important factor in exploiting the tourism dimension of the games.

The successful hosting of the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 2003 greatly enhanced Ireland's reputation and credibility on the world stage as a safe and welcoming destination. This very positive experience is one on which we can very usefully build in planning how we might optimise the tourism opportunities of the Olympic Games in 2012. To give added impetus to the drive to capitalise on the sporting and tourism opportunities of the London Olympic Games, I intend to establish an interagency group to support the work of the agencies already working in this area.

Photo of Dan BoyleDan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. On the opportunities he expressed when the International Olympic Committee announced London as the venue for the 2012 games, following these discussions he had with the Northern Minister are concrete proposals on the verge of being made on joint approaches, not only on how sporting organisations and countries taking part in the Olympic Games might use facilities on this island but also on a more common approach to tourism through the existing all-island bodies?

He mentioned in his reply that the Irish Sports Council has already received a number of inquiries about the possibility of locating training camps in this country in advance of the 2012 Olympic Games. Could he provide more concrete detail on the number of such countries that have made inquiries? Is his Department and the Irish Sports Council targeting a number of countries that might be prepared to be based here?

On the question of the Paralympic Games, the Minister cited the example of the Special Olympic Games but they are different types of games. Ireland already has a proud record of participating and being successful in the Paralympic Games. Does the Minister see a particular role in such Irish experience in terms of achieving a cross-over for the benefit of the Paralympic Games that will also be held in London in 2012?

Photo of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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There have been no concrete agreements yet on precisely how we might co-operate on the 2012 Olympic Games. The meeting which I had with Minister Hanson was purely preliminary. We discussed generalities and no concrete proposal came from the meeting other than the fact that we agreed that co-operation was of pivotal importance. In that respect, it also was noted that there is a considerable number of facilities in this jurisdiction which might be utilised in the context of the 2012 games.

Since there are no definitive proposals or inquiries, it would clearly be remiss of me to seek to give any indication as to who was looking for accommodation or facilities. If we are to attract teams from abroad, the construction of the first phase at Abbotstown would be of immense importance. If our facilities are sufficient, athletes will be attracted here. We have a number of top class facilities which can be utilised but the first phase of the campus would be a considerable addition to those.

Our proximity to London is well documented. Indeed, some have suggested that it would be easier to get from Dublin to London than from Manchester to London during the course of the games and I believe that is true. Co-operation will continue and officials from my Department will enter into discussions with their counterparts in the North with a view to coming forward with concrete proposals on co-operation. This will be to the mutual benefit of each jurisdiction.

Photo of Dan BoyleDan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Is there a possibility of a cross-over with the Paralympic Games?

Photo of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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That possibility exists. We will certainly pursue it to the best of our ability. I acknowledge that Deputy Boyle's suggestion is a good one.

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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The existence of our national games means we have many sports facilities available around the country. Our national games are not included in the Olympic Games. Is it possible, through the work of the Irish Sports Council or the interagency group the Minister is to set up, that negotiations will take place with the GAA with a view to using some of its facilities? If they were used, there would be a much wider choice of facilities available to foreign teams and they would not have to base themselves around the capital only. Given our regional airports and infrastructure, we could provide wider scope for availing of tourism opportunities on foot of the games.

Fáilte Ireland should put together a package with the Irish Sports Council in this regard as early as possible. Given that we are receiving queries now, it is obvious that national teams are making travel plans well in advance of the games. They are making plans not for the upcoming games but the games thereafter so as to obtain the best facilities. This trend presents us with an ideal opportunity.

How soon will the interagency group be set up and how much scope will it have? It will obviously include the tourism agencies and sports agencies, such as the Irish Sports Council. Will local authorities and sports organisations be represented or will it just be a case of the Irish Sports Council representing the sports organisations?

Photo of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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It is my intention to establish, in the very near future, a wide-ranging group that will seek to ensure that Ireland capitalises as much as possible on London's hosting of the Olympic Games in 2012. The group should obviously comprise people in the tourism industry and the sports sector. It is appropriate that it comprise officials from my Department also. We will, in the very near future, give full consideration to how rounded the group should be.

On the question of Croke Park, to which Deputy Deenihan referred in a different context, and the possibility of our making the grounds available to visiting teams, the GAA, in its special congress meeting to discuss the question of the stadium being made available to the IRFU and the FAI, which are representative bodies of two other sports, made a decision that related only to the period of construction of the new stadium at Lansdowne Road. The resolution that was passed was quite specific and I must respect it. If the grounds are to be used by sports organisations other than the GAA beyond the period in which the new stadium at Lansdowne Road is being constructed, it appears there is a need for a new resolution at congress. While this can be pursued within the GAA, it has not been promised — that is a question for another day.

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister believe it would be wise to have an audit of our existing facilities to determine whether they meet international training requirements and to determine the number that would be suitable? Having done so, he could, through the International Olympic Committee, inform the various teams that will be participating in the Olympic Games in London of the availability of our facilities. Would this be a practical way to proceed? The national coaching centre in Limerick has received a number of inquiries in this regard, including on the day following the announcement that London was to host the games.

Photo of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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There is no doubt that many teams participating in the Olympic Games prefer not to stay in the host country if at all possible because of all the hype involved. They prefer somewhere quieter. There is almost no doubt but that we will attract some teams to this country.

An audit of our sports facilities is commencing and it should be completed in two or three years. The interagency group that I intend to establish can also examine facilities with a view to drawing up a list of those that would be suitable. There are many suitable facilities in the country.