Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

316. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties facing local leisure centres in reopening (details supplied); if the stimulus promised will take deficits of the year to date into account; and if extra funding will be provided to ensure leisure centres remain open post-Covid-19. [17005/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have no direct role in this matter.

Responsibility for sports and leisure facilites at a local level rests with the local authorities and at national level, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has overall policy responsibility for such facilities. Local authorities derive their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government. Central Government funding of Local authorities includes transfers, both current and capital, from a range of Departments and Offices for a variety of purposes. In relation to the provision of leisure centres in their areas, local authorities may seek such central Government funding from the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport.

It is recognised that additional costs are being incurred by local authorities in relation to Covid-19. Local authorities have been advised to capture all related costs in their financial systems to aid future financial analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on the local government sector. In order to support the sector generally, I will ensure my Department continues to keep local authority income, expenditure and cash flow under review and will continue to work with all local authorities, both collectively and individually, on issues arising.