asked the Minister for the Environment the present position regarding the community centre and sports hall in Aughrim Street, Dublin 7 on which Dublin Corporation have spent £400,000 which was never used as the corporation have no funds to run it; if he has any plans to remedy this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Sports Hall.
4.
This sports hall was provided by Dublin Corporation with the aid of generous grants from my Department. It is a matter for the corporation to make arrangements for the running of the hall, including all necessary financial provisions.
Would the Minister confirm that the capital funding for this hall was provided by the previous Government? Would he confirm that, having spent £400,000 of Government money on this hall, there is now a major facility lying idle, in the centre of Dublin, which is now being vandalised? Would the Minister indicate to the House why his Department have not considered making any funding available, through lottery funding or otherwise, to enable this hall, which was built at public expense, to be utilised by the local community?
It might be regarded as a joint venture. It cost £540,000, of which £150,000 was provided in 1986. I provided £300,000 in 1987. Irrespective of how it was funded, the estimated running cost is £20,000 per annum. Dublin Corporation have not as yet made the funds available. The Minister for the Environment is hardly responsible for the running of sports halls. That is a matter for the local authority.
Is the Minister aware that Dublin Corporation have not made funds available for the running of this sports hall due to the cutback on the rate support grant? Would the Minister not accept that it is a national scandal that the Government should spend nearly £500,000 on the provision of a sports hall and should then deprive the local authority of the relatively small sum of £20,000 necessary to make it available to this deprived community? Can the Minister guarantee that in 12 months' time this sports and community hall will not lie derelict due to vandalism? It would cost more to provide security for the building than to run it.
The Department of the Environment are not in the business of providing money for the running of sports halls and other kinds of halls throughout the country.
It has been done through the lottery.
It would be inappropriate for the Department. Approval was obtained from FÁS for the employment of 12 people there but it had to be withdrawn because finance was not available from the local authority to meet the running costs. I hardly think that £20,000 would make a big hole in the £200 million gross expenditure by that local authority in a year.
I suggest that the Minister should ascertain from the Fianna Fáil members of Dublin Corporation who form the majority, why they have not made the necessary £20,000 available. Presumably he would have some influence in the context of the Dublin Corporation estimates. I would ask the Minister to take urgent action during the next few weeks to ensure that the hall is fully maintained and protected and opened for usage.
I am pleased the Deputy recognises that it is not a matter for the Department of the Environment to provide money for the running of such facilities.
Fianna Fáil have more members on Dublin Corporation than any of the other parties.
Very generous allocations of £450,000 by way of amenity grants and lottery funds were made to one project. The local authority have an obligation and it is their business to be involved in this. I cannot see the basis for the question.
Perhaps the Minister would talk to the Lord Mayor and find out why the local authorities have not met their responsibilities.
The time for dealing with Priority Questions has expired. We now come to deal with ordinary questions.