Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 4: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if preferential treatment will be given to sports organisations which have applied under the 2006 sports capital programme to provide a sports hall on the grounds of or adjacent to primary or post-primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2551/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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All applications for funding received under the 2006 sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, will be considered in accordance with the various requirements and assessment criteria which are outlined in the guidelines, terms and conditions of the programme. Primary and post-primary schools wishing to be considered for funding under the programme may only apply for funding jointly with local sports clubs or community groups and must meet other conditions, including a requirement that the local community will have significant access to the proposed facility, at least 30 hours a week throughout the year, when it is not being used by the school. Any sports facility proposed for funding by a sporting organisation and which would be located within school grounds would have to meet these same conditions.

To encourage full use of facilities funded, applications for funding are requested to indicate the extent to which they have consulted with other clubs and organisations in the community, including schools. A commitment from schools that they will utilise the intended facility would be important and would increase the project's assessment score. Any such applications received this year will be considered and assessed on that basis.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Given that the Department of Education and Science gave a low priority to the provision of sports halls at primary and second levels and that the Minister's predecessor advised schools that they should turn their general purpose rooms into classrooms when a problem with accommodation arose, I appeal to the Minister to ensure that any application which includes the provision of a sports hall for a school, be it primary or post-primary, be considered positively, given that it is the only way such a school may be able to provide a sports hall.

I carried out a survey of primary schools last year prior to Christmas to which 1,400 responded. Of that number, only 322 schools had sports halls. Of those, only 32 had a sports hall larger than 170 sq m or the size of two badminton courts, which is quite small. Therefore, 310 schools had sports halls smaller than that. With our weather conditions, unless schools have indoor sports facilities, it is impossible for teachers, especially in primary schools, to carry out a physical education programme. As a result, children in many schools are not exposed to any physical activity from October to May as it is impossible to provide for that when the necessary facilities are not in place. The Minister has an opportunity under this programme to do something about that.

Owing to the lack of physical activity among children, the report of the national task force on obesity showed that 300,000 children are either overweight or obese and that condition is increasing by 10,000 every year. The national children's food survey in 2005 showed that one out of every five children in the five to 12 year old category are either overweight or obese. The children in this age category are those attending primary school. The increase in the incidence of this condition is a problem of epidemic proportions. The Minister can play a role in the provision of facilities by giving preferential treatment any application received to provide a sports hall or similar facility on the grounds of or adjacent to a primary or a post-primary school.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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It should be pointed out that since 1998, under the sports capital programme, 4,923 grants have been awarded to various sporting organisations. This has occurred in every city, town, village and parish. The value of the grants in total is €395 million. Children would have access to these facilities. We have covered considerable ground in providing sporting facilities for the nation.

As the Deputy is aware, the funding of schools' sports halls is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Hanafin. As I outlined in my reply, the assessment criteria for applications under the sports capital programme include the extent to which integrated facilities are available to a school and its wider community.

Additionally, my Department has commenced work on the development of a sports facility strategy that will advocate a planned approach to the provision of sports facilities at local and national level. An inter-agency steering group has been established to oversee this work. It includes representations from the Department of Education and Science. One of the key areas being examined as part of this strategy is community access to school facilities. This relates to both optimising use by local communities of existing school facilities outside school hours and how the Department might provide funding to plan sport halls in schools to enhance the facilities, where necessary, to facilitate a wide range of sports.

However, there are genuine concerns within schools relating to issues such as security, insurance and running costs which can be barriers to facilitating community access which need to be addressed. Where schools benefit from funding to enhance their facilities on the basis of the wider benefit to the local community, there needs to be a mechanism to ensure that this access is provided and maintained into the future. It is expected that work on this strategy will be completed later this year.

Last year we received 30 school applications. A total of €634,000 was allocated to seven primary and post-primary school projects which met the criteria I outlined. I accept the need to improve physical education facilities in schools. We will look carefully at any applications received this year from schools which have the support of the local community.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Despite the acknowledged investment in community facilities, I remind the Minister that such provision is not impacting sufficiently on the primary or post-primary sectors, given that less physical education is provided now than was provided 25 years ago. I repeat that his Department should examine its overall policy in terms of where resources are directed. The Government has failed dismally in the provision of facilities at primary school level. If such facilities had been provided, we would not have many of the current health problems in society, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, which is relevant at present.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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We have made more progress in the provision of sports facilities——

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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They have not been provided in schools.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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——throughout the country than was ever made before. It is obvious that the 4,900 facilities which are in place are available to children, as well as adults, in the relevant localities. It is clear that applications from schools which have the support of local communities will be considered. I remind Deputy Deenihan that the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is responsible for the provision of sports facilities to all the population and not just to a single segment of it. Therefore, it has to take community access into account when school applications are being considered.