Kieran Phelan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to the House. I did not get an opportunity in public to wish him well in his new portfolio. I have no doubt he will do an excellent job. I wish Senator Feighan well in his new position as spokesperson on arts, sports and tourism. There is more to Ireland than Roscommon when it comes to sport but I will leave it at that for now.

I am pleased to be able to speak here today on the subject of our national sporting facilities. We have a wonderful sporting tradition in each townland, parish, village, town and city. No matter where one travels throughout the country, sport plays a huge part in the lives of young and old people, whether as participants, supporters, trainers, coaches or managers. Even though the debate is about national sporting facilities, we cannot talk about these facilities without addressing local sport and local sporting organisations. In recent years, I have been pleased to see the amount of money the Government has put into local sport and community organisations. I am chairman of Rathdowney GAA Club in Laois. We are well aware of the role the GAA and other local sporting organisations play in the life of rural Ireland. In many areas of the country there are little or no sporting or recreational facilities apart from those provided by the GAA.

While on the subject of the GAA, I would like to say a few words on an important matter. Croke Park is one of the finest sporting stadiums in the world. Each time I attended Croke Park, I was struck by the quality, size and comfort of the stadium. GAA members can be proud of their stadium, which is a monument to the men and women who run the GAA as a voluntary organisation. It is also a monument to the men and women who have gone before us who laid the foundations for one of the greatest and most successful voluntary organisations in Ireland, if not in the world. The men and women who set up the GAA were very forward thinking and took great risks. When Peter Quinn served as president of the GAA, he took a huge risk in making plans for a dramatic expansion and redevelopment of Croke Park. We are seeing the benefit of this vision today when we look at this fine stadium on Jones Road. However, Croke Park lies idle for most of the year, which is a major financial burden on the GAA. I have no problem saying that rule 42 is out of date. Rule 42 belongs to history and should no longer be the central issue. I do not support those who engage in GAA bashing as I am a proud supporter and member of the GAA. However, times have changed and so must the GAA. A ban on so-called foreign sports is no longer relevant. People in the association who refuse to discuss this matter live with their heads in the sand. They argue that the association is in competition with other sports and should not hand over its stadium to them.

We will be the laughing stock of European soccer and rugby soon when we have to send our international teams to stadiums in places such as Liverpool or Glasgow to play their matches because senior GAA officials refuse to allow discussion on the matter of opening up Croke Park. There is nothing patriotic in this and nothing to be gained from forcing our national sports stars to play their home international games on foreign soil. If American singers, for example Neil Diamond or Garth Brooks, can hold concerts in Croke Park or American football can be played there, why can people such as Roy Keane, Damien Duff, etc., not line out in their green jerseys for their country in the finest stadium in the land? GAA clubs exist in America, London, Australia and many other places. If the sporting authorities in these places throughout the world were to adopt the same attitude as the GAA here, it would be next to impossible for these young GAA clubs to become established. I would like to see the GAA face reality and fully debate rule 42 with its members.

To return to the main issue, this Government has worked hard to improve sporting facilities across the country and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism has allocated significant funding under the national lottery funded sports capital programme. One of the main Government policies on the development of sport and recreation facilities is increased participation, particularly in disadvantaged areas. The sports capital programme is the primary vehicle for supporting the development of such facilities for voluntary sporting organisations at local, regional and national levels. Grants are allocated towards projects such as multi-purpose sports halls, athletics stadiums and Gaelic, soccer and rugby pitches.

Since 1998, the sports capital programme has been the catalyst for the delivery of modern well-equipped facilities in all counties. It has provided grants to the value of over €321 million to 4,250 projects throughout the country. I am confident the Government is doing a wonderful job in the promotion of sport and the provision of sports facilities where needed. Much more can be done at local level to continue promoting sport and recreation. Doctors warn us that society has become less active and that the dangers from obesity and illness have increased. Therefore, we must continue to support every organisation that tries to promote sport and involve young and old in exercise. If we do this, the health of the people will remain good.

In January of this year, the Minister announced a €191 million package towards the construction of the new Lansdowne Road stadium for which the IRFU, the FAI and the Government have drawn up wonderful plans. I look forward to seeing the stadium completed on time and on budget. Both the IRFU and the FAI should be complimented on the manner in which they have come together to pool their resources in the interest of sport as a whole. The Government will not be found wanting in its desire to see the stadium open in December 2008.

Perhaps we should take a leaf from the GAA's book with regard to building a world class stadium. We can learn much from it. In planning the new Croke Park it planned for the future and built to the highest standards. Many critics at the time described the Croke Park plans as pie in the sky or over the top. However, the GAA carried on with them and tribute must be paid to people like Peter Quinn who had the vision to see the project through.

I regret the Abbotstown development did not go ahead. We will regret this in the years to come. Senior members of some political parties objected to the plan and felt it should not go ahead.

I thank the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, who has done a fantastic job. He has been a great sports Minister and has invested significant funding in projects throughout the country. Anybody who visits O'Moore Park in Portlaoise, in my county, can see how the funding has resulted in one of the finest sports stadiums in the midlands. We are proud of that stadium. However, it would not be there but for the funding provided by the Minister.

I thank the Minister for coming to the House today and I also thank the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, for attending.