Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the action he proposes to take to ensure that publicly-funded centres and buildings are made available to voluntary arts and sports groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10851/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Sports Capital Programme, which is administered by my Department, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. In this regard, under the Guidelines, Terms, Conditions of the Programme, all grantees have to confirm that the local community can use the facility. In addition, depending on the level of the grant allocated, grantees have to sign a declaration or enter in a deed of covenant and charge committing to keeping the facility in sporting use for fifteen years.

My Department provides capital funding for arts and cultural venues under the ACCESS (Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme). Many local and community groups have received funding under this scheme. While we ensure, by means of a lien on the property, that the buildings are used for the purposes intended under the grant, i.e. arts and cultural activities, the programming and usage of arts and cultural facilities is a matter for the owners and promoters of these venues and not a matter for my Department.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when he expects the national sports facility strategy report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10825/08]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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As I have previously informed the House, work on the National Sports Facility Strategy is currently underway in my Department. An inter-agency steering group was established to oversee the development of the strategy and consultants, involving both national and international experts in the area of sports facilities, were engaged to assist in the preparation of the strategy.

The consultants' report is being finalised at present and will then be appraised by the steering group. The consultants' remit included an audit of national and regional sports facilities which will feed into the national audit of sports facilities being undertaken by my Department. This audit is part of the wider exercise to put in place a more strategic approach to the provision of sports facilities in Ireland through the development of the National Sports Facility Strategy. The aim of the strategy is to provide high-level policy direction for future investment/grant assistance at national, regional and local level. It is intended to identify the facilities requirement for sport so that participation at reasonable cost is feasible for those who wish to engage in sport at either amateur or elite level.