Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will report on the status of the national development plan capital proposals coming under the remit of his Department; if he is satisfied that funding will be available for the nominated projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18517/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The National Development Plan 2007-2013, which was published in January 2007 contains the largest ever Government investment programme for the development of the arts and culture, tourism and sport sectors. The NDP includes an €800 million tourism development programme, a €904 million cultural sub-programme and a €991 million sport sub-programme.

These programmes contain a wide range of capital schemes and projects which will be progressively rolled out over the lifetime of the plan. The Department of Finance is preparing the first comprehensive report on NDP implementation in 2007 which, following consideration by the NDP central monitoring committee and the Government, will be published in due course.

As regards tourism, the international marketing sub-programme is on track, with €45 million expended in 2007 and a budget of €50 million provided this year. Construction work on the convention centre in Dublin commenced in 2007 and the massive steel works for the spectacular new building at Spencer Dock are well advanced. During 2007, the first of three funds under the tourism product development sub-programme was launched. At the end of 2007, some €8 million of tourism infrastructure works were reported by Failte Ireland as being completed. In addition, some €20 million of expenditure was provided under the training and human resources sub-programme.

On the sports side, construction of the new Lansdowne Road stadium is now well under way and it is planned that the 50,000 seater stadium will open during 2010. Following the recent appointment of project management and design teams, detailed work on the National Sports Campus at Abbotstown is proceeding. Applications for funding under the 2008 sports capital programme were invited in January last and more than 1,450 applications received are currently being assessed. The local authority swimming pool programme is also progressing with an investment of almost €28 million made in 2007.

In the arts and culture sector, a new National Concert Hall will be developed on the existing site at Earlsfort Terrace. It is planned to initiate the PPP procurement competition very shortly with a view to contracts being signed in 2009. The redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre at George's Dock is also progressing well with the appointment of a jury for the design competition and of technical and financial advisers. The Wexford Festival Opera House is on schedule for completion in 2008 while the Gaiety Theatre project has been successfully completed. Progress is being made on the extensions to all of the main national cultural institutions.

Finally, €7.3 million has been drawn down since 1 January 2007 to date by projects under the ACCESS programme, leaving a balance of €73.7 million during the course of the NDP. The Government is committed to implementing the NDP and I look forward to advancing the full range of projects envisaged during my tenure as Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I have been perusing the National Development Plan 2007-2013 and programme for Government 2002. Many of these projects date from way back and many have not yet commenced. However, I want to concentrate on three particular projects.

Before coming to those projects I would like to point out that I recently visited the Wexford Festival Opera House and it is a fantastic building, as I am sure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is aware. I understand the Minister will have the pleasure of opening it. It is a spectacular building, one of which we can all be proud.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Yes, indeed.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I want now to speak about three particular institutions desperately in need of investment. I accept this is not the fault of the current Minister as this is his first week in the job. However, it is a matter to which he will have to pay attention. The three institutions are the National Archives, the National Library and the National Museum. The lack of investment in these institutions is simply unforgivable. All of them have been promised funding. As all three institutions are on the receiving end of a conveyor belt of artefacts and written material, their main problem is lack of storage space. The Minister will be aware that the National Archives is responsible for conserving and making accessible every public document. However, it simply cannot do this within the existing premises which is basically a biscuit factory.

I recently visited the National Library. While I had heard about the manner in which books are being stored, I was shocked to see it. It is a tinderbox. We will lose 700 years of written and photographic material with one spark in that building. The National Library must receive funding immediately. The Minister will be aware that it must take in every book printed, yet it does not have the storage capacity to do this.

The Comptroller and Auditor General's recently published report on the National Museum made frightening reading. The problem at the museum has worsened due to the unearthing by the National Roads Authority of many artefacts. There is nowhere for these artefacts to be stored. Some of them are being stored outdoors. Work on rebuilding the fallen staircase and other refurbishment works cannot commence as there are no staff available to conserve the artefacts and ensure they are moved to safe locations. Something has to be done in terms of storage in these buildings, if nothing else. The issue of shared storage was referred to in the national development plan. One, or all three, projects must be brought forward. I understand work in this regard falls to the Office of Public Works which has many people calling on its services. It is up to the Minister to drive the projects forward.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am familiar, having spent time in the Office of Public Works, with the institutions referred to by Deputy Mitchell. I have seen at first hand the fantastic work done by the Office of Public Works not alone in Dublin, but around the country.

I agree with the Deputy in respect of the proper care and storage of national archives be they pertaining to the National Archives, National Museum or National Library. I will try to drive forward a solution. I am not sure this afternoon whether there exists the possibility of a collective solution, but Deputy Mitchell can rest assured I will deal with the matter.