Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the lack of recreational facilities for special needs children and for the differently abled; his plans to address this imbalance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45122/12]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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While my Department has responsibility for the provision of sports facilities through the Sports Capital Programme, the wider provision of recreational facilities for special needs children and for the differently abled falls within the remit of a number of Government Departments including the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government; and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment that in planning legislation the Government will promote and support universal design whereby all environments can be used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of age, ability or disability. I believe that all new publicly funded sports developments and the redevelopment of existing facilities should be designed to be accessible to people with disabilities.

I launched a special initiative in 2011 to provide grants to local authorities for enhanced disabled access and energy efficiency measures in swimming pools. More than €14m has been allocated to local authorities by my Department under this initiative.