Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 375: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the status of having all support agencies develop an agreed set of performance indicators in line with the 2012 roadmap (details supplied) subject to approval and monitoring of a steering committee under the chair of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism as recommended in November 2005 by the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport and Tourism, Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30583/06]

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position in relation to the establishment of the institute of sport; the links, which will be created between it and the existing sports training institutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30584/06]

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 377: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the level of participation that all athletes are having in the preparation for both the Beijing and London Olympic Games; if he will make a statement on the mechanisms for the athletes, who are the main people in the equation, to make their input to this ongoing process. [30585/06]

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism further to the Joint Committee on Arts, Sports and Tourism, Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs recommendation that the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism establish and chair a steering committee to co-ordinate and manage the 2012 Olympic roadmap for the athletes; if he will make a statement on the status of that recommendation. [30586/06]

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 379: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the facilities and locations which are currently being used by athletes for their preparation for the 2012 games; if financial supports given to these athletes are on an annual basis or if there is co-ordination at this point to bring them from 2006 right up to the games; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30587/06]

Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he is satisfied that the preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games are progressing satisfactorily and that recommendations that were made in both reports on the Olympics post Athens have been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30588/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 375 to 380, inclusive, together.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that further significant progress has been made by my Department since my comprehensive and detailed presentation to the Joint Committee on our Olympic and Paralympic preparations on 24th May 2006.

Following Government approval, in July, together with the Taoiseach, I launched the Irish Institute of Sport and announced the appointment of its Executive Chairman to deliver optimal support services for Olympic and Paralympic athletes and sports. The Institute will address such issues as strength and conditioning, psychology, performance analysis, sports medicine & sports injury management, recruitment of elite coaches and athlete lifestyle support.

In the lead up to Beijing the Institute will focus its support on 14 focus sports and approximately 90 Olympic and Paralympic athletes who are currently graded as either Contracted World Class or International Class under the Irish Sports Council's (ISC) International Carding Scheme. In line with the recommendations of the 2005 Athens Review, the ISC undertook a full review of the International Carding Scheme in 2005, which includes annual funding for athletes, and a new Scheme is in operation since January 2006.

The Government-approved proposals for the restructuring of the support structures of Irish elite sport will also see the National Coaching and Training Centre (NCTC), based at the University of Limerick, reconstituted as a new entity called Coaching Ireland with a specific remit focusing on coach development and education. Quality coaching is central to the development of sport at every level. The agency and the facilities based at the University of Limerick will have a key role in the preparation of our elite sportsmen and women as indeed will the other third level universities and colleges who are making increasingly significant contributions to the achievement of sporting excellence.

In August, I established the London 2012 Olympics Task Force to ensure Ireland can identify and maximise the complete range of opportunities arising from its proximity to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London 2012. The taskforce which is chaired by the Secretary General of my Department has been asked to examine all possible opportunities, identify the priority areas of interest and map out a strategy to ensure that Ireland will benefit from its proximity to London in 2012. It will draw on the expertise of people from across the sport, tourism, cultural and business sectors supported by staff within my Department.

The ISC continues to make excellent progress in its preparation for Beijing 2008 and London 2012. Arising from the Athens Review 2005, the ISC developed an operational plan which identified key performance indicators, timescales and costings and the roles of the various agencies in supporting Ireland's Olympic and Paralympic preparations for Beijing and London. The plan encompassed elements such as the introduction of targeted sport performance plans including prioritising junior, development and elite athletes; a review of the international carding scheme; proposals for the development of an Irish Institute of Sport; maintaining and enhancing the role of the Olympic and Paralympic Performance Committees to ensure optimum cooperation in the preparation and performance of the Irish team for the Beijing and London Olympic Games, and the strengthening of the Olympic Council of Ireland's administrative capability. The operational plan is updated on a regular basis with the key agencies to reflect the current status of the recommendations and significant progress has been made to date.

My Department is also funding the development of a network of top quality facilities around the country designed to meet the training, coaching and competition needs of our elite competitors in a wide spectrum of sports. Among the major projects which have been supported are the National Aquatic Centre, the National Rowing Centre at Inniscarra, the National Tennis Centre at Glasnevin, the National Boxing Stadium and the National Hockey Stadium at UCD. We intend to continue to develop additional facilities of this nature and the Government's decision to proceed with Phase 1 of the Sports Campus at Abbotstown is further evidence of our commitment in ensuring that our sportspersons have available to them facilities in which they can train and compete. The Institute of Sport will be located at the sports campus at Abbotstown, forming an essential part of the new National Sports Campus. Until the facilities there come on stream the Institute will service athletes needs through existing facilities.

The ISC has established Focus Sport Funding and performance plans have been agreed with targeted Olympic and Paralympic sports. The performance plans focus on sustainable performance and development of junior, developmental and senior squads for 2008, 2012 and 2016. High Performance coaching gaps have been identified and key coaching appointments have been made. The ISC has carried out rigorous quarterly monitoring and evaluation of the performance plans.

The ISC also works in partnership with the Olympic Council of Ireland, the Paralympic Council of Ireland, and the relevant Olympic governing bodies of sport in the preparation and participation of Irish competitors at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Significant progress has been made to date in the preparation for Beijing 2008 including the establishment of athletes commissions and preparation of acclimatisation strategies. The OCI has also held a Teamship conference for athletes, coaches and support personnel in January 2006 and a second conference is planned for December 2006. The PCI has arranged for multi-sport camps to take place in the University of Limerick in April and November 2007.

I am satisfied that there now exists a co-ordinated approach to the preparation of our elite sportspersons for participation in international competitions and I am confident that this co-ordinated structure will ensure the maximum return for Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and will provide a legacy in high performance sport.