Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 302: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the purpose for which approval has been given for capital works to the extent of €1.2 million to the National Sports Campus Development Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35037/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to my reply to Dáil Questions Numbers 6, 7 and 22 of 29 November last.

Following legal proceedings against Dublin Waterworld Ltd. for breaches of the lease of the National Aquatic Centre, it was returned to State control on 1 December 2006. I would refer the Deputy to two particular conditions of that lease i.e the requirement to put in place a capital maintenance programme and a sinking fund. The court found that these two conditions among others had not been complied with. As a result the Centre was not up to the standard that one would expect of such a facility when it was taken over by the National Sports Campus Development Authority (NSCDA) (Operations) Ltd., a subsidiary of the NSCDA, established for the purpose of operating the Centre.

€1.2m has been provided on bringing the Centre up to the standard expected of such a facility and it is now in top quality. I would like to invite the Deputy to visit the Centre and see it for herself at first hand and I am sure she will agree with me that it is one of the key elements of our national sporting infrastructure.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 303: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has an estimate of the unutilised capacity at the National Aquatic Centre in order to establish the potential to grow usage of the centre and reduce the demand for an annual subsidy. [35038/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Dáil Questions Nos. 6, 7 and 22 of 29 November last. The National Aquatic Centre reverted to the control of the NSCDA by way of its subsidiary company NSCDA (Operations) Ltd. from 1st December 2006, following legal proceedings against the previous operator. Its first full year's trading has just been completed and is currently being assessed and reviewed.

In its first year of trading since the National Aquatic Centre reverted to the overall control of the Authority over 532,000 people will have visited the Centre, that is, in terms of swimming access, swimming lessons and membership. From this base the centre can continue to grow further business utilisation. On a day to day level, the generation of business is a matter for the Authority and its subsidiary Company and it is considering all available options for growing further the utilisation of the Centre in terms of pricing structures, re-branding, marketing, advertising, and normal trading hours for a facility of this nature which has to cater, on a balanced basis, for broad categories of recreational, competitive and elite users.