Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on whether Ireland currently lags behind other countries in regard to sporting facilities, coaching and expertise that are available to elite athletes; his further views on whether this is hampering the ability of athletes here to compete at international level; the efforts he is making to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34821/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1998, €900 million has been expended on sport both in the development of sports facilities and in funding sports programmes, which include supports for funding our elite sportspersons. This funding has ensured that Ireland no longer lags behind other countries in the facilities and supports provided for elite athletes. The ongoing significant investment in sport by the Government will ensure the facilities and supports required by our elite sportspersons will continue to be enhanced.

Following Government approval in July together with the Taoiseach I launched the Irish Institute of Sport and announced the appointment of its executive chairman to deliver optimal support services for Olympic and Paralympic athletes and sports. The institute will address such issues as strength and conditioning, psychology, performance analysis, sports medicine and sports injury management, recruitment of elite coaches and athlete lifestyle support.

In the lead-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008, the institute will focus its support on 14 focus sports and approximately 90 Olympic and Paralympic athletes who are currently graded as either contracted world class or international class under the Irish Sports Council's international carding scheme. In line with the recommendations of the 2005 Athens review, the ISC undertook a full review of the international carding scheme in 2005, which includes annual funding for athletes, and a new scheme is in operation since January 2006.

The Government-approved proposals for the restructuring of the support structures of Irish elite sport will also see the National Coaching and Training Centre, based at the University of Limerick, reconstituted as a new entity called Coaching Ireland, with a specific remit focussing on coach development and education. Quality coaching is essential to the development of sport at every level. The agency and the facilities based at the University of Limerick will have a key role in the preparation of our elite sportsmen and women as indeed will the other third level universities and colleges which are making increasingly significant contributions to the achievement of sporting excellence.

The Irish Sports Council, whose budget has increased from €13.5 million in 2000 to almost €41 million in 2006, continues to make excellent progress in the delivery of its high performance programme. Arising from the Athens Review 2005, the ISC developed an operational plan which identified key performance indicators, timescales and costings and the roles of the various agencies in supporting Ireland's Olympic and Paralympic preparations for Beijing and London. The plan encompassed elements such as the introduction of targeted sport performance plans including prioritising junior, development and elite athletes; a review of the international carding scheme; proposals for the development of an Irish Institute of Sport; maintaining and enhancing the role of the Olympic and Paralympic performance committees to ensure optimum co-operation in the preparation and performance of the Irish team for the Beijing and London Olympic Games, and the strengthening of the Olympic Council of Ireland's administrative capability. The operational plan is updated on a regular basis with the key agencies to reflect the current status of the recommendations and significant progress has been made to date.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Since 1998, €470 million has been provided for the development of sporting facilities at national, regional and local levels. Through this investment my Department is funding the development of a network of top quality 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 National Aquatic Centre, the National Rowing Centre at Inniscarra, the National Tennis Centre at Glasnevin, the National Boxing Stadium and the National Hockey Stadium at UCD. We intend to continue to develop additional facilities of this nature and the Government's decision to proceed with phase 1 of the sports campus at Abbotstown is further evidence of our commitment to ensuring our sportspersons have available to them facilities in which they can train and compete. The Institute of Sport will be located at the sports campus at Abbotstown, forming an essential part of the new national sports campus. Until the facilities there come on stream the institute will service athletes' needs through existing facilities.

The ISC has established focus sport funding and performance plans have been agreed with targeted Olympic and Paralympic sports. The performance plans focus on sustainable performance and development of junior, developmental and senior squads for 2008, 2012 and 2016. High performance coaching gaps have been identified and key coaching appointments have been made. The ISC has carried out rigorous quarterly monitoring and evaluation of the performance plans.

The ISC also works in partnership with the Olympic Council of Ireland, the Paralympic Council of Ireland, and the relevant Olympic governing bodies of sport in the preparation and participation of Irish competitors at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Significant progress has been made to date in the preparation for Beijing 2008, including the establishment of athletes' commissions and preparation of acclimatisation strategies. The OCI also held a teamship conference for athletes, coaches and support personnel in January 2006 and a second conference is planned for December 2006. The OCI has arranged for multi-sport camps to take place in the University of Limerick in April and November 2007.

I am satisfied there exists a co-ordinated approach to the preparation of our elite sportspersons for participation in international competitions and I am confident this co-ordinated structure will ensure the maximum return for Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and will provide a legacy in high performance sport.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Has a budget been allocated for Mr. Kelly, the new CEO, to appoint the necessary personnel under his direction? Where sits his committee in relation to the Olympic Council of Ireland and the Irish Sports Council and what interlinkage exists between the three agencies?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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In 2006 the Government provided €1 million to establish the institute. In 2007, its first full year of operation, the institute will have a budget of €3.5 million.

The London task force is comprised of individuals who have an involvement with the Institute of Sport and the Irish Sports Council. For example, Mr. Seán Kelly, who is the executive chairman of the Institute of Sport will also sit on the board of the London Olympics task force. A representative of the Irish Sports Council also sits on the London task force. I believe it is Mr. Ozzie Kilkenny, chairperson of the ISC. There is contact between the bodies.