John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will implement any of the recommendations of the ERSI report Fair Play, Sport and Social Disadvantage in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31388/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that the Irish Sports Council, under its research remit, is striving to develop a profound understanding of sport in Ireland that can inform policy and investment over the coming years. It commissioned the Economic and Social Research Institute to undertake studies on its behalf. Four major reports have already been published, each one adding to our knowledge of sport in this country.

The fourth report in the series "Fair Play? Sport and Social Disadvantage in Ireland" set out to examine the impact of social disadvantage on various forms of participation in sport. The report concludes that the large majority of people who play sport in Ireland and who enjoy the health benefits arising from this physical activity are from higher income and better-educated social groups.

The report makes a clear case in support of substantial public expenditure to increase participation in sport, given the proven benefits of physical activity. This justifies the significant Government investment in sport in recent years. The budget for sport has increased from €17 million in 1997 to over €295 million in 2007. This significant investment has supported the promotion and development of Irish sport and the provision of a modern sporting infrastructure, with high quality facilities catering for the participation, coaching, training and competition needs of all levels and types of sport. Furthermore the National Development Plan 2007-2013 includes a commitment to provide €991 million for sport infrastructure during the period up to 2013.

The increased funding provided to the Irish Sports Council from €13 million in 2000 to over €54 million this year has enabled a number of significant interventions for the benefit of disadvantaged areas. Examples include the Local Sports Partnerships (LSP) network, the Buntús programme for primary schools in LSP areas (involving children in sport from a very young age), development officers in National Governing Bodies and special funding to the FAI, GAA and IRFU.

The sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country towards the provision of sport and recreational facilities. In total, since 1998, capital funding of €568 million has been allocated in respect of 6,716 projects all over Ireland at local, regional and national level. In addition, over €107 million has been allocated towards the development of Croke Park.

One of the stated objectives of the sports capital programme is to prioritise the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of sports facilities. In keeping with Government policy, allocations under the programme reflect special priority for the development of sports and recreational facilities in areas designated as disadvantaged i.e. RAPID, CLÁR and Local Drugs Task Force areas. My Department liaises closely with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with regard to continuing to prioritise applications for sports capital funding from areas designated by Government as disadvantaged. My Department is seeking to be more strategic in its approach to the future provision of Government funding for sports facilities. Development of the Department's National Sports Facilities Strategy is currently under way and research in this field, including the ESRI report in question, is being considered in that context. The Facilities Strategy should provide a better policy base for the more effective use of public funds and will assist in the targeting, support and funding of areas of greatest need.

With the National Sports Facility Strategy, together with the information from this report and from the three other reports in the ESRI Irish Sports Council series, we will have gained a better understanding of the dynamics of the Irish sports sector. The Irish Sports Council, with the support of my Department, is continuing its ambitious research programme, which will generate new and important information. This will allow for policy and investment decisions in the sports sector — a sector that has benefited from heavy and consistent public investment in recent years — to meet the challenges set out in the ESRI report in question.