Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of new gymnasia, constructed since 2002, aided by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20232/05]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 27: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of new floodlit playing pitches, constructed since 2002, aided by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20233/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 27 together.

Under the national lottery-funded sports capital programme administered by my Department, funding is allocated to projects that provide sports and recreational facilities at local, regional and national level. Since June 2002, a total of €117.46 million has been allocated to 1,367 projects throughout the country under the 2003 and 2004 sports capital programmes.

Projects funded under the programme form the backbone of sporting infrastructure in the country and provide the means for greater public participation in sporting activities. These projects include facilities such as development of natural playing surfaces, synthetic and all-weather surfaces, floodlighting, indoor sports halls, gymnasia, changing facilities and a vast range of sporting equipment. The nature of the data created in relation to the sports capital programme does not lend itself to easy identification of particular facilities such as floodlighting. I will, however, see if it is possible to extract this information from the Department's files and, if so, will communicate it to the Deputy in due course.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his Department liaises with the Department of Education and Science to advise on the provision and expansion of sporting facilities in national and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20210/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The national lottery-funded sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding for sporting and recreational facilities and equipment. While responsibility for the provision of facilities in national and secondary schools rests with the Department of Education and Science, applications from schools and colleges may be considered under the programme in certain circumstances. Such applications must be made jointly with local sports clubs or community groups and must: provide for significant levels of usage by the local community during periods when the facilities are not being used by the school itself — at least 30 hours per week throughout the year; and demonstrate that the facilities concerned will meet an identified deficiency in that locality, as formally agreed with other local groups and-or the local authority.

In this regard, it has been the practice of my officials to engage in discussions with the Department of Education and Science when considering applications involving schools received under the sports capital programme. Under the 2004 sports capital programme, grants totalling €1.327 million were allocated to ten such projects where the proposed facilities were to be clearly shared between schools and other community groups, including local basketball, GAA and soccer clubs.

Applications for funding under the 2005 programme were invited through advertisements in the press on 5 and 6 December last. The closing date for receipt of applications was 4 February 2005. All of the 1,362 applications received before that deadline, including 30 related to facilities in primary and secondary schools, are currently being evaluated against the programme's assessment criteria, which are outlined in the guidelines, terms and conditions of the programme. I intend to announce the grant allocations for the programme at an early date.

The programme for Government includes a commitment to putting in place a long-term strategic plan to ensure the development of local sports facilities throughout the country. I wish to advise the Deputy that an inter-agency steering group has been established to oversee the development of such a strategy and is commencing its work. The group is comprised of representatives from my Department along with officials from the Departments of Education and Science, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Finance, in addition to representatives of the Irish Sports Council, Campus Stadium Ireland Development Limited and the County and City Managers' Association.

One of the issues likely to be considered by this group will be potential for greater co-operation between the Departments to ensure that the resources from all sources available to facility provision are maximised, including optimum usage of existing sports facilities by local communities and, in particular, those located in schools.