Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 3: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans for investment in sport under the national development plan, including the rationale for each sectional allocation; if a pool at Lucan will be included under the local authority swimming pool programme, subject to an application being made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5921/07]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Under the sport sub-programme of the National Development Plan 2007-2013, the Government will invest €991 million in sporting infrastructure over the next seven years. This investment will comprise the following: the development of flagship projects, such as the National Sports Campus at Abbotstown and the new Lansdowne Road stadium; the delivery of a range of sporting facilities, including swimming pools, at community and regional level; and supporting the development of facilities to enhance the quality of the experience to be enjoyed at horse and greyhound racing venues.

The national development plan includes the provision of €149 million towards the development of a campus of sports facilities at Abbotstown of which €119 million will fund phase 1 of the project. This will meet the indoor and outdoor training needs of Irish elite sportspersons, who compete at national and international levels, and will also provide high-quality facilities for the local community. The first steps in the realisation of the sports campus is commencing with the refurbishment of the former State Laboratory as the new headquarters of the FAI, which I expect will be ready for occupation later this year.

In addition to overseeing the development of phase 1 of the campus, one of the tasks of the newly established National Sports Campus Development Authority will be to identify and prioritise the next phase of the development, in respect of which €30 million is being set aside in the NDP.

The Government has agreed to provide €191 million towards the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium as a 50,000-seat state-of-the-art stadium. The new stadium will be a first-rate facility appropriate to a contemporary international arena. The planning process must run its course and the outcome of an adjudication by An Bord Pleanála on appeals against the granting of planning approval for the project by Dublin City Council is awaited. I am optimistic that, by 2010, we will have a second splendid major stadium for field sports in the city of Dublin at Lansdowne Road.

Some €184 million is being provided over the next seven years for the local authority swimming pool programme to fund the completion of the current round of the programme, which has been in operation since 2000, and the launch of a new round which I hope to announce in the coming months. On the basis of current grant levels, available funding should enable us to embark on the construction of almost 50 new public pools, which will be a very significant addition to our sporting and recreational infrastructure.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

The current round of the programme, under which grant aid of up to €3.8 million is provided, has been closed to new applicants since July 2000 in order to give priority to the 57 projects in the round. However, my Department is completing an expenditure review of the local authority swimming pool programme at present. The review is examining, among other things, how the programme has worked to date and what changes, if any, are required to ensure its effective and efficient delivery. The review is currently being finalised and it is my intention to publish it as soon as possible. Following consideration of the recommendations in the review, it is my intention to launch a new round of the local authority swimming pool programme as soon as possible. When the programme is re-opened, it will be open to all local authorities to submit applications under the terms that will apply — this includes South Dublin County Council in respect of proposals for a pool at Lucan.

The cornerstone for the much-improved sporting infrastructure of the country during the term of the Government has been the national lottery-funded sports capital programme. The programme has helped provide hundreds of new pitches, changing rooms, sports halls and much needed equipment to sports clubs throughout Ireland.

The national development plan will ensure the continuation of the sports capital programme and the provision of sport and recreational facilities on a nationwide basis. Almost €420 million will be allocated over the period of the plan, once again highlighting the Government's commitment to ensuring that people throughout the country will have access to top-of-the-range sporting facilities.

The Government's commitment to funding of the Irish horse and greyhound racing industries through the horse and greyhound racing fund has enabled a programme of capital investment in horse and greyhound racing tracks in recent years which has underpinned a growth in both sectors. This will continue under the national development plan and should enable Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon to undertake long-term planning which will result in the further development of a network of modern, well-managed facilities for both industries which will continue to be attractive to the public.

The benefits of participating in sport, whether at the level of competitive sport, recreational sport or active leisure activity, must be fully appreciated by all. The Government's investment in sport to date has yielded benefits to people in terms of physical, cultural, educational, emotional well-being and personal development. This effect, though difficult to evaluate, is tangible and very real. The value of sports tourism, for example, has been placed in the order of €350 million per year.

The Government is determined that people should have access to sporting and recreational facilities, whether they are competing in sport professionally or simply participating for health, recreation, relaxation and enjoyment. The investment of €991 million under the national development plan is clear evidence of the importance the Government attaches to putting in place modern well-equipped and well-managed sporting facilities which will have real and lasting benefit to our communities.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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The first part of my question relates to how the funding will be allocated. I will not get into an argument about the horse and greyhound racing fund, which I have raised before. Given that the nationwide audit of sports facilities promised in the programme for Government may not be ready by the time the Government ends its term, what plan does the Minister have to ascertain the best locations to which to allocate the money under the sports capital programme, for example, or the local authority swimming pool programme? Has any detailed analysis been done or is it planned to do such analysis on the number of new schools in an area and its demographics and their relationship to sporting need so that we can target where sporting investment needs to be made?

I welcome the investment outlined in the NDP. However, we need to ensure that whatever Government comes after this one tries to allocate the funding fairly and on the basis of need. That has not necessarily happened in the past. The sports clubs and groups with the best organisations have made submissions resulting in a geographical anomaly. Is there a mechanism in place to identify need and to ensure funding is appropriately targeted?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The first phase of the audit is under way in my Department. There is no doubt but that it will not be completed before the forthcoming election. However, I anticipate that in due course the results of the audit will be made available. Facilities which are grant aided must comply with certain criteria. Each proposal is benchmarked against this criteria. A project that does not qualify having been benchmarked does not receive grant aid. Where grant aid is approved it does not automatically follow that the funding will accrue to the organisation concerned. All of the conditions imposed in respect of the allocation of a grant must be fulfilled by the organisation concerned. This includes compliance with all relevant planning guidelines and by-laws and the availability of local funding for the project. Projects are not simply plucked from here and there, each project is benchmarked against a set of strict criteria. Many of the issues raised by Deputy Gogarty are covered by the criteria used in the benchmarking process.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Is there a top town analysis in terms of need which would allow particular groups to apply? On the swimming pool programme, will the Department liaise with the Department of Education and Science on the provision for multi-use school campuses of a swimming pool partially funded by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism? Lastly——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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There is not time for a third question.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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When will the new swimming pool programme be announced and what is the timeframe for application?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I hope to announce the new swimming pool programme in the next couple of months. Applications in that regard will then be invited from various towns and cities. The applications will be individually examined because each applicant will be required to submit a preliminary report. The OPW and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism must be satisfied as to the need, feasibility and viability of each application as is the case in regard to sports capital funding. The population of a particular town or city will be important in considering whether additional facilities are required. These factors are considered in the context of the criteria laid down. I reiterate that projects are not simply plucked out of the air willy nilly. Each project is assessed on its merits and benchmarked against the relevant criteria.