I feel a sense of loss at the Ceann Comhairle's impending departure. While Members on either side of the House did not always agree with every decision he made, he will be missed. He is a formidable figure.
In 1981 Dublin City University, which then had the status of an NIHE, took in the first students to its campus in the north side of Dublin city. The current student population of the university is approximately 5,500. The campus site was probably inadequate to meet the ambitious development plans for the university and over the years the land bank was used for new buildings. These buildings are well designed but unfortunately there has been a steady erosion of the land available for recreational facilities. Planning permission has been granted for a new chemical science building in the near future. Following this development, which is by no means the final one, there will be one playing pitch for the 5,500 students.
Having obtained substantial support from the private sector, DCU purchased from the Eastern Health Board St. Clare lands on Ballymun Road which are adjacent to the campus. The local community were delighted with this purchase as they were concerned that the site would be used for a housing development. DCU obtained planning permission from the local authority for the development of this land as a major sports facility not only for the university but also the entire community. The university has a track record of making its facilities available to the public. Even though it is a university, it received grant aid in the past because it guaranteed access to its facilities to the local community. It has honoured this commitment.
It has been argued that this kind of project should not qualify for a sports grant under the national lottery. However, DCU was allocated £500,000 for its sports complex because it would also be used by the local community. Three or four sporting groups in the area are anxiously waiting the development of this site as they do not have facilities of their own. Planning permission was granted last year but the project has come to a halt due to a lack of funding. Having obtained so much private funding, the university rightly believes that it deserves some support from the State. The Minister should make a special allocation to the college.
This local good news story is becoming a bad news story in that the site is not being developed and there is a problem with security. The local community are becoming cynical about whether these lands will be developed. Given the success of the college in acquiring private funding to purchase this major site, favourable consideration should be given to its request for funding. This facility will be to north Dublin what the Belfield campus is to south Dublin. I could not agree strongly enough in favour of Government support for this project which will make a valuable contribution to the local area. Dublin Corporation cannot meet the needs of local sporting clubs and it has discussed with DCU the possibility of using this new facility to meet these needs. I look forward to a favourable response from the Minister.