Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 5: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will expand on his recent comments that a national audit of sporting facilities will be undertaken to provide accurate information on the range, suitability and type of facilities available here ahead of the 2012 London Olympics; when he expects this audit to commence; the person who will oversee the audit; the remit of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40815/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The nationwide audit of sports facilities has commenced and is being carried out in stages to help speed up the availability of information. Phase one of the audit will establish a record of national and regional sports facilities and is being carried out within my Department.

The work currently being undertaken is a data gathering exercise in conjunction with the main sporting bodies and local authorities to identify the facilities for inclusion in this phase. My Department has identified a list of in excess of 100 sports facilities of national or regional significance. Many of these have been funded under the sports capital programme since 1999 and a considerable bank of information already exists, although some of this information is not up to date and, therefore, a complete set of data has to be obtained. In addition, details of facilities at third level educational institutions and swimming pools have also been included on this inventory. Further engagement with the main sporting bodies, local authorities and facility owners and managers is being undertaken so a comprehensive database on the range and nature of sporting facilities at national and regional level can be completed.

By ascertaining and mapping what is already in place at a national and regional level, an important part of developing a strategic approach to future facility provision will be put in place, as well as establishing the level of need that exists in the sports sector and helping to determine future priorities. As I have previously explained, the enormity of completing the full audit of sports facilities should not be underestimated and, given the experience of other countries, is likely to take a number of years.

With London 2012 on the horizon, there is the possibility that athletes and teams from other countries may consider using Ireland as a training base in the years leading up to the Olympics. Ireland possesses the advantages of being in the same climatic and time zones as London, being within an hour by air travel, and Ireland will avoid most of the media hype that one often finds in the host country.

In order to ensure Ireland benefits from the proximity of the London 2012 Olympic Games, I have established a London 2012 task force made up of experts from sporting, business, tourism and cultural interests. This group will work to ensure Ireland is an attractive training base for Olympic athletes in the run-up to 2012 and Ireland also benefits from the tourism, business and cultural opportunities arising from the hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in 2012.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

If Ireland is to be attractive to potential participating athletes, access to high quality sporting and ancillary facilities must be available. In this regard, my Department is currently undertaking, as a separate exercise, a sports infrastructural audit of facilities that might be suitable to develop to meet the training needs of overseas teams preparing for the 2012 Olympics. Department officials have already held discussions with national governing bodies of sport and have been in touch with third level institutions to establish the type, range and suitability of the sports facilities available for this purpose.

The Olympic Council of Ireland has identified a number of individual sports facilities that may require some upgrade work to bring them up to the standard required by Olympic athletes. Universities are also well placed to provide packages of sporting, accommodation and ancillary facilities. A limited number of local authority facilities may be worth considering for the training camps.

Over the coming months, this audit process will be completed in line with the standards set out by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. We will then have a clearer picture of the facilities likely to be attractive to participating athletes in the build-up to London 2012 and my Department will then examine whether investment may be required to bring these facilities up to the required standard. Any expenditure on facilities will be aimed not only at attracting teams but also at ensuring a lasting legacy for Irish sports.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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When the 2012 Olympic Games take place in London, it will be the nearest thing to a home Olympic Games in our lifetime. We should try to obtain as many sporting and tourism benefits as possible from the London Olympics. It is impossible not to be impressed by the list of members of the 2012 task force. The list covers most sports, as well as commercial life. According to the Minister's answer, we have not yet completed the gathering of information even though it is almost 2007. When one reads about the work that is being done in England, one learns that the authorities there are finding it difficult to quantify the sporting facilities which are needed. The cost of providing such facilities has been underestimated in some instances. We need to get the benefit of the 2012 Olympics in a way that will make a difference. I am sure the Minister will agree that anything we do in respect of the London Olympics will benefit us into the future. I refer, for example, to the provision of the extra facilities which are needed to attract other countries to come here to prepare for the Olympic Games.

When will a real decision be taken to develop certain facilities to the same standard as the National Aquatic Centre and the facilities at the University of Limerick? Time will catch up with us if we do not make a decision soon. If we decide to provide improved facilities, we will have to work within a tight timescale when one considers that we have to take account of various mechanisms like the planning system. The task force should be given a date by which the facilities have to be provided. If we do not do that, we will have problems trying to gain the enormous benefits which are available to us. I do not think there is a lack of expertise etc., among the members of the task force. The people on it have a wonderful grasp of what is needed. The Minister should take the initiative by setting the date for the fast-tracking of the provision of the facilities which are required.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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At the request of the 2012 London task force, the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is undertaking a separate and limited audit of sporting infrastructure in advance of the 2012 Olympic Games. A list of facilities which are likely to attract Olympic and Paralympic training camps, prior to the London games in 2012, will be drawn up over the next three months. The audit will focus on university campuses, individual sporting facilities and local authority facilities. The Department held discussions with the national sporting governing authorities at a briefing session in sports headquarters on 28 September last. The Department wrote to third level institutions on 10 November last, asking them to make submissions on how they could facilitate Olympic and Paralympic teams, to give details of the upgrade work that is needed to bring facilities up to the required standard, and to mention any development plans which are under consideration. The audit process will continue for the rest of 2006 and will be completed early in 2007. We will then have a more comprehensive idea of the quality of the facilities which are available, whether they need to be upgraded and the level of expenditure required to bring the facilities up to the standard required by potential visiting athletes. It is anticipated that proposals will be presented to the Government in early 2007. I will seek funding for the upgrading of facilities, if such work is deemed worthwhile. Upgrade work that is done will focus on leaving a lasting legacy for Irish sport.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Yes.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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A number of potential sites for visiting teams have been identified in the initial discussions. It is important to recognise that we have a number of quite decent facilities, such as the rowing centre at Inniscarra, the equestrian centre at Punchestown, the aquatic centre in Blanchardstown, the tennis centre in Glasnevin, the boxing stadium in Dublin 8, the training facilities in the University of Limerick and the hockey stadium in University College Dublin. Progress is also being made in devising a national sports facility strategy. We have engaged Holohan Leisure Consultancy, following a competitive tender competition, to assist us with the strategy. It is anticipated the strategy will be completed within six months. The strategy will examine all the available information on sports facilities and identify the gaps to which Deputy Wall referred. Information on facilities is held by the Department of Education and Science, the Irish Sports Council, individual sporting bodies and local authorities. If we ascertain and map out what is already in place at national, regional and local levels, we will have started to develop a strategic approach to the future provision of facilities, established the level of need that exists in the sports sector and helped to determine future priorities. We are continuing with phase 1 of the Abbotstown project. Some €119 million has been included in my Department's capital envelope to complete that phase of the project by the end of 2010. In that context, I intend to bring further proposals to the Government soon, arising from the deliberations of the national sports development authority, which will be established on 1 January next to succeed Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited with regard to the second priority of the plans.