James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if it is intended to seek funding to upgrade sporting facilities at the University of Limerick and University College Dublin, as suggested in the Indecon report, to make it possible for Ireland to have a spin off benefit from the London Olympics in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24521/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am currently considering the report of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Task Force which includes findings and recommendations arising from the report carried out by Indecon International Economic Consultants on the economic evaluation of the benefit to the island of Ireland of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. Both the University of Limerick and University College Dublin have received capital funding from my Department in recent years towards the development of sports facilities.

In 2006, my Department allocated €1 million towards Phase 1 of the sports facilities development at the University of Limerick, particularly with a view to the potential usage of UL as a centre for teams preparing for the London 2012 Olympics. Previous funding to the UL Sports Complex since 1998 was in the form of a €7.55 million grant for the construction of the national 50-metre swimming pool. My Department has also allocated over €1.3 million in capital grants to UCD towards the development of its sports facilities. The national hockey arena, which is located at UCD, was developed with Government funding to the value of €1.29 million.