Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his plans to meet the community games organisation, to discuss its needs with regard to the annual national finals held for many years in Mosney holiday centre; his views on the need for a permanent home for the annual games; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27624/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I have not been approached, in recent times, by the community games organisation for a meeting. As the Deputy is aware, following a series of meetings last year with representatives of the National Community Games to discuss issues relating to the hosting of the annual community games finals in Mosney, I approved funding of €100,000 towards the renovation of the accommodation at the Mosney holiday centre specifically to ensure that the facilities there were of a comfortable standard for use by the community games participants. In the context of those discussions the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, confirmed its continuing willingness to facilitate the availability of Mosney to host the community games.

The community games representatives have expressed their satisfaction with the range and quality of the facilities and services available at Mosney and their suitability for future national events. They also acknowledged that there is no other venue in Ireland with the scale and variety of facilities required for their national events as currently structured and also that any question of providing a special, dedicated venue on the scale required, which would be used only a few times a year, would be completely unrealistic.

I am pleased that the RIA has confirmed that for as long as the agency continues to use Mosney, the community games can avail of the facilities there. A new contract for the use of the centre was signed between Mosney Irish Holidays Limited and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 18 November 2004.