John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

The redevelopment of Croke Park has been a spectacular success from every conceivable point of view. Since 1998 the Government has provided €103.49 million in funding towards making Croke Park the truly magnificent venue it is now.

Speaking of Lansdowne Road — most of the nation's thoughts will be directed towards it for the rest of this evening — proposals to redevelop that stadium were agreed in 2004 and grant aid of €191 million has been committed by Government to this project. Work on developing the conceptual design for the new stadium has been proceeding since then. I will be launching the new detailed design next Monday. It is expected that a planning application for the project will be lodged by the end of this year and that construction work will commence in early 2007, subject to planning. The project is meeting all of the target schedule dates set for it.

The National Aquatic Centre, the flagship of the campus at Abbotstown, opened in 2003 and successfully hosted the swimming events of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in June 2003 and the European Short Course Championships in December 2003. There have been media reports of alleged leaks at the National Aquatic Centre in late June of this year which were repeated here this evening. I repeat for the umpteenth time that these reports are completely unfounded and untrue. Following a number of unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the centre, an inspection was finally carried out by a team led by Rohcon and including S&P Architects, URS Structural Engineers, Euro Pools specialist subcontractors, Davis Langdon PKS project managers and Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners, consulting structural and civil engineers represented CSID at the inspection. Rohcon found that there was no evidence of any structural defects or of any water leaking into the plant room as had been alleged in the media. Rohcon found some leakage through pipe joints and valves which in its view were operational matters. In addition, a test was carried out and confirmed that there were no leaks from the swimming pools. URS Structural Engineers confirmed that the concrete works were designed and constructed to meet the British standard 8007. It confirmed that any cracks that existed were not leaking, were not of a structural nature and were entirely normal for a building of this type. Rohcon published the results of its findings on 7 July. CSID received a separate report from its own structural engineers, Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners, which supported the Rohcon findings.

In 2004 the Government agreed to proceed with the development of a campus of sports facilities at Abbotstown. Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited, CSID, having consulted widely with the major governing bodies of sport, stakeholders and interest groups, put forward proposals for the development of a sports campus. This development control plan represents phase one of a wider programme for sports facilities. It proposes the development of pitches and ancillary accommodation catering mainly for the three major field sports — rugby, soccer and Gaelic games — as well as an indoor sports centre to cater for a range of indoor sports with spectator accommodation and also includes publicly accessible all weather floodlit synthetic pitches. This phase of the programme has been costed at €119 million and will have a four or five year delivery schedule. The funding of the project is currently being considered in the context of the multi-annual capital framework.

The Government is committed to providing a range of sports facilities, both locally and nationally, to meet the needs of the people, whether at elite level, at the more basic level of sports for health and enjoyment, or as spectators. To assist in the identification of new facility requirements an inter-agency steering group has been established to oversee the development of the sports facility strategy.

One of the first challenges facing the group is to oversee the commencement of a national audit of sports facilities. Once completed, the audit will enable policy makers to map the location of the various sports facilities throughout the country, leading to a more effective targeting of new or additional facilities which will complement what is already available. In this way, an efficient use of financial resources can be achieved and a fostering of greater co-operation between complementary facility providers can be encouraged. It is envisaged that the process for developing a sports facility strategy will identify any gaps in key major sports facilities required and prioritise their future delivery. This work will be carried out in consultation with the main sporting bodies.

Two of the most successful sports in Ireland have been those of horse and greyhound racing. The Government has shown its continued commitment to the ongoing development of the Irish horse racing and greyhound industries. In 2001, following the establishment of the horse and greyhound racing fund under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act of 2001, a major period of development of both racing industries has resulted. In the five years to date, this fund has provided a guaranteed level of funding to Horse Racing Ireland and Bord na gCon which by the end of 2005 will amount to €261 million and €65 million, respectively. This money has been well invested leading to undeniable benefits for both sectors and has marked a revival of interest in both sports to the benefit of the whole economy. It has not only helped towards providing some top class racing venues and facilities but it has also underpinned significant employment in both industries and the prize money it has facilitated has been an important boost for both horse and greyhound breeding.

Under the initial legislative provision, an aggregate total for the fund was set at €254 million. This limit was reached before the end of 2004 and I was pleased to announce in November of 2004 that the Government agreed for the aggregate total of the fund to be increased to €550 million to cover the period up to 2008 and to continue its support of the industries. This will ensure that both the horse and greyhound racing industries will have the necessary secure financial framework for the next few years to enable them to bring about completion of their major development initiatives.

It would be remiss of me if I did not mention the tax relief that exists with regard to stallions covering mares in Ireland and, indeed, in the greyhound industry, which is of enormous importance in developing both industries. It is sometimes forgotten in the debate which ensues any infringement on this issue that Ireland is the third most important producer of thoroughbred foals in the world after Australia and the United States of America. As a result of this tax exemption, Ireland produces more thoroughbred foals than Britain and France combined. The industry, directly and indirectly, employs 25,000 people. It would not have been possible for our bloodstock industry to have been developed to the sophisticated stage to which it has been without this exemption. It is now under threat from the EU Commission having been classed as a state aid.

It must be remembered, however, that the elimination of such an exemption at the behest of the Commission will neither benefit Ireland nor Europe. The standing of mares and stallions in Ireland benefits the bloodstock industry not only in this country but throughout Europe. The elimination of such incentive can only result in these thoroughbreds breeding in other parts of the world and not in Europe. It is not to the advantage of Europe to eliminate such an incentive but it is to the advantage of countries far away from the European Union. It is a terrible mistake for the European Union to grasp at certain issues in the belief that it is assisting competition when all it is doing is creating a greater level of competition for itself and, indeed, ensuring that the playing field in respect of such an industry is not level for its own member states.

The Government's international sports tourism initiative targets events which have the capacity to enhance the attraction of Ireland as a major sports tourism destination. Ireland has shown that it is a perfect venue for hosting major sporting events. One has only to look at the hugely successful World Special Olympic Summer Games to appreciate this. Other events such as the Women's World Hockey Cup, the European Men's Hockey Cup and the World Cross Country Championships have enhanced our reputation for hosting such events. Next year in 2006 we will host the biggest golf tournament in the world, the Ryder Cup, which will be televised to approximately 700 million homes in no fewer than 42 countries.

The link between participation in physical activity and sport and the enhancement of health and quality of life has been clearly established. Physical activity and sport not only play a very significant role in the development of individuals but also provide invaluable social, educational and recreational opportunities for every participant. Sport has the potential to enrich the lives of all people and no one, regardless of age or background, should feel that they could not benefit from physical activity. The importance of sport to society generally was recognised by the first ever provision for sport in the new EU treaty agreed during the Irish Presidency in 2004.

The swimming pools programme was mentioned and I am pleased to say there are 55 different projects at varying degrees of completion in the system at present. Some 18 pools have been completed and approximately 11 are at tender stage and we have received the contract documents. The other projects are either at preliminary report stage or some other stage of the process. It has been an extremely successful programme and I sincerely hope it is one which can be renewed in the future because the provision of swimming pools in provincial towns, in particular, has been of enormous benefit to children and adults alike.

In that context, the provision of sporting facilities in cities, in particular in disadvantaged areas, has proven to be an enormous success. It is true to say young people are faced with greater opportunities and have more advantages than any generation. However, it should also be remembered that they are also faced with far greater challenges than any previous generation. In this context, the twin threats of drugs and alcohol have a huge bearing on the social development of our children. The perfect antidote to drugs and alcohol and other anti-social behaviour is unquestionably sport. Our objective has been to take children away from the PlayStations and on to the playing fields. I believe that with continued and serious investment in Irish sport, we will continue to be successful in doing so.