Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am disappointed the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism is not present but I understand he is attending another function. Based on my experience in the Oireachtas, I am aware of how Adjournment debates work. The reply is prepared before the debate even takes place. However, I took the trouble to fax details of the issues I wish to raise to the Minister's office earlier and I hope they have been taken on board in the reply that has been prepared.

I refer to the need for the Minister to respond to an application by a community group from Mitchelstown, County Cork, under the swimming pool projects scheme. It has been fundraising to build a leisure centre for several years. The Minister will also be aware, on the basis of various representations, that the group has been uniquely successful in its efforts and has, to date, raised in excess of €2.3 million towards the project.

The provision of a state-of-the-art leisure complex incorporating a swimming pool, fitness suite, outdoor all weather training pitches, etc, is considered critical to the future well-being of the town as well as supplying much needed infrastructure for the local population. The Mitchelstown group sought funding of €3.8 million under the Swimming Pool Programme, 2000-2002, to complement its own fundraising successes. Despite representations from the group, fully supported by Members of the Oireachtas, including myself, and local authority members, the Minister is not prepared to accept a valid application for funding for the project was made on the basis that a written submission had not been received when the scheme was suddenly closed to further applications in July 2000.

However, when a delegation led by Deputy Ned O'Keeffe, myself and members of Cork County Council met the then Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy McDaid, in March 2001, he absolutely accepted the validity of the Mitchelstown application and assured us that it would be considered. He could not indicate the outcome of the application but the only condition he laid down was that we should seek a written assurance from Cork County Council that it would support the project. Support was willingly offered by the council and county manager and it was confirmed by letter dated 16 July 2001.

The status of the project is as follows. A site has been bought; full planning permission has been obtained on this town centre site adjacent to shopping and schools; and more than €1.6 million has been deposited by the leisure centre committee in the bank. The project has recently been professionally costed at €5 million plus equipment costs of approximately €200,000 and, therefore, the provision of the grant is essential to the success of the project.

Two feasibility studies have been carried out to verify its viability. Originally one was done by Gaynor Leisure and, more recently, one was conducted by BDO Simpson Xavier, which cited its location near schools and the town centre as excellent. Since then Tesco Ireland has opened a retail centre beside the site and the group has submitted an expression of interest in supplying a site for the decentralised head office of Bus Éireann.

Mitchelstown has been badly hit by job losses in recent months, as its sole major employer, Dairygold, has been forced to rationalise its operations. Against this background, various business and community groups recently came together to develop a plan to reposition Mitchelstown as an attractive location for new industry and inward investment. This plan identified the leisure centre as critical to the image of a forward looking town.

This proposal is being made by a town that recognises the need to improve its image and its facilities to ensure it prospers in the future. The former Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy McDaid, recognised the merits of the project and, in particular, the achievements of the Mitchelstown community group in raising an extraordinary amount, which reflects the community spirit and self-help attitude that prevails in the town.

I appeal to the Minister of State to look favourably on the validity of the application. If politics is to mean anything, when a Cabinet Minister makes a commitment to a community group, a county manager and Oireachtas Members that an application is valid, it should be taken on board. Governments can change and Ministers can come and go but, since the commitment was given, no adjudication has been made on any application and, therefore, the scheme remains open. The commitment was given freely and openly by the former Minister and I ask the Minister of State to honour it by including the Mitchelstown leisure centre project in the programme and allowing it to be considered for grant aid.