Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The failure of Government to lead the funding necessary for the scouting project at the Castle Saunderson estate on the Clones to Cavan road along the Border must be explained to this House and to Scouting Ireland. As the letter from the company secretary stated: "While large amounts of funding were secured from donors and commitments received from Government and statutory agencies, the project itself was unable to raise the necessary matching funding within the required timeframe." It is strange that this issue should arise at a time when major questions are being raised by the Government over the Ulster Canal, another truly cross-Border project. The Ballybay Development Association wetlands project was not even viewed by the relevant Government authorities and yet was refused, while at the same time the Minister for Foreign Affairs issued a major statement advising that everybody must get involved and make sure that proper cross-Border projects are included in the national development plan for the next six years, which is now being developed.

Is it realistic for the Minister to request such a move when there has been clear Government inaction on the three most relevant cross-Border projects? The Ballybay wetlands project would involve all the schools of the region, North and South. The Ulster Canal would revolutionise tourism and has the backing of all sections of the community. The provision by Scouting Ireland of a jamboree structure at Castle Saunderson for the youth of the 32-county scouting organisation would bring enormous wealth to this hard-pressed Border area.

The Taoiseach visited the site in very difficult weather conditions. American donors and others were totally committed to the project. The cross-Border organisations are committed, yet once again the Government, with the exception of a small start-up grant, does not seem to understand the needs of the area. I realise no horse or greyhound tracks or other such activities are proposed and it is only for young people. However, I remind the Minister that 100% funding was provided for Punchestown without any evaluation. I understand generous grants were given in the Dundalk region for all-weather racing tracks. I urge that our sons and daughters in a truly cross-Border community project be reconsidered and that the necessary funding be provided. Some €3 million to €4 million would suffice and such money spent on encouraging our young people to take part in sport would more than be paid back through savings, not only in our health budget but also in Garda and security since young people would be doing something constructive and positive rather than causing problems.

Councillor John Scott, who is the chairman of Belturbet Town Council, like many others has been involved in scouting all his life and he, together with all his fellow town councillors, regardless of politics, wants this project funded and delivered. The intention was to open a peace and reconciliation youth activity centre on the 103-acre estate with lakes, rivers and forestry already on site. The site has an old church, castle and roadways.

In the past nine years the scouting organisations have come together on an all-Ireland basis. People on their behalf made contacts in the US for donations. They were in discussions with INTERREG, IFI and PEACE, all of which came on board. However, as happened in the Ballybay project, neither Fáilte Ireland nor any other Government body treated the project seriously. The Government must take action on the issue.

I am glad that the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is here this evening as he has moneys through various funds to address the issue. I hope the money he spends is spent as well as it would be spent on this project. This is a golden opportunity for peace and reconciliation. It would certainly be a different situation from Dublin on Saturday.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He also raised a number of other issues. It would be very wrong for me to upstage Deputy Connolly regarding the wetlands. As the Deputy is aware I am working very hard on the issue of the Ulster Canal and would be as committed to it as is Deputy Crawford. I hope all of us working together can progress the project.

I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue. The funding available to him is for clearly identifiable programmes relating to sport, arts, culture and tourism. Under the national lottery-funded sports capital programme operated by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, grants are awarded to sporting clubs and organisations and to voluntary and community groups for the development of sporting and recreational facilities. This programme is the primary means of financing the sporting infrastructure of the country and is administered on an annual basis. A total of almost €395 million has been allocated in sports capital grants to over 4,900 sporting projects since 1998. This funding has been of enormous benefit to the development of sport in this country.

The focus of the programme is the development of sport and recreational sport facilities. I understand the Castle Saunderson project involves the proposed establishment of a permanent national scouting jamboree site and it has a very small sporting element, being primarily a youth facility. An application on behalf of the project was submitted under the 2002 sports capital programme but was unsuccessful because of the minuscule sporting element in a project which at the time was costed at more than €8 million. In 1999 the then Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy McDaid, met representatives Scouting Ireland, the promoters of this ambitious project, and explained to them that the project was not one suitable for consideration for funding under the sports capital programme. Scouting Ireland has not submitted a subsequent application for the project to the programme since 2002.

I have been informed by my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for youth affairs, Deputy de Valera, that a memorandum was received earlier this week for the project which states that the project, as originally envisaged, would require funding of approximately €10.7 million in phases 1 and 2. I have been advised that there are no funds available in the Department of Education and Science for funding of capital works of this level.

The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism has also contacted the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, regarding possible sources of funding for the project from the Department of Finance and he has advised that the project may be able to apply for funding under the EU-funded PEACE II cross-Border programme. Last year PEACE II was extended for another two years, which means that spending under the programme can now occur until 2008. The Department of Finance stated that a further programme, PEACE III, will cover the 2007 to 2013 programming period. The Castle Saunderson project is advised to contact the special EU programmes body in Belfast for further information on the PEACE programmes.

Unfortunately, for the reasons outlined in the early part of my response I regret that the Minister is unable to offer any assistance towards the project as it falls outside the nature of projects for which funding is provided by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach visited the site and has overall responsibility.