Regardless of the issue, he is given three replies and told to come in here, waffle for five minutes and the Adjournment debate will be out of the way. Five or six sites were proposed and the then Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Aylward, set about endeavouring to provide a swimming facility which is so urgently needed. Five or six interests are prepared to provide a site including Tallaght, south Dublin council, UCD, Dublin City University, Quarryvale at the junction of the M50. These are all potential sites for the provision of a facility which is so badly needed.
Why can the Minister, with his financial ingenuity, not commit the national lottery on a financial bond issue over two or three decades to provide funding for these facilities? No one generation should have to bear the financial burden of a facility which will probably have a life span of 30 years, possibly 50 years with some renovations. Surely this Government can commit the national lottery over a 20 to 30 year period to provide the finance to allow a project like this to get under way.
Yesterday, the British Prime Minister announced what the British Government proposed to do in the United Kingdom and the Six Counties. A facility could be provided in Dundalk or Newry on a co-operative basis to serve the whole island. When the Irish team returned in the aftermath of the World Cup, we were going to endeavour to provide a national soccer stadium facility. They are still a poor relation tenant in Lansdowne Road. The IRFU facility in Lansdowne Road no longer meets the international seating and safety requirements.
With the national finances in healthy order, the Government should be in a position to make the necessary long-term commitments this type of project requires. It should get priority and work should commence. It behoves this House to endeavour to support projects like this, which are far above party politics, regardless of which parties are in Government or Opposition. The discussion has gone on for too long.
The national lottery has been a huge financial success. For various reasons consecutive Governments had to plunge that money into day to day spending but long-term commitment could be given to finance these projects. The success of the Olympic team, particularly in swimming where they have won three gold medals, is an indication of the talent within our sporting community. People like Michelle Smith, Gary O'Toole and Eamonn Coughlan will always go abroad to where there are scholarships and international competitions. However, potential international stars at home need such a facility. People will then go abroad to exploit fully the potential of their talents.
It is time to provide such a facility. There is much talk about drugs, health and young people and this could be a commitment to do something positive and provide facilities nationally for our young people.
