Vol. 495 No. 5
21 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation his preferences for the provision of a national sports stadium; its location, capacity and the extent of the facilities to be provided there, including swimming facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20590/98]
35 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has widely consulted with sporting organisations on his plans to carry out a feasibility study into the erection of a stadium; if he has consulted with the FAI in view of the fact that this organisation already has plans to build a stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20584/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 35 together.
My response to this question is similar to a previous one with the exception of the following paragraph. The Government's preference for the stadium in terms of location, its facilities, etc. , are matters which will be addressed by the committee and the feasibility study. A tender procedure is already in progress for proposals to develop a 50 metre swimming pool capable primarily of meeting the training needs of our élite swimmers, with an outcome expected early in the new year.
Will the Minister give me an answer to the question he failed to answer earlier on how he can reconcile a decision to set up a consultative or feasibility group in relation to the national stadium at a time when his review group on capital projects is still considering matters but has not yet submitted a report to him? Surely last week's decision torpedoes the status of his review group in relation to capital facilities.
My review group was always going to report in November and it will do so.
Before it has reported, the Minister has made a decision to set up another group to consider a national stadium. It flies against all reason and good sense.
The review group set up to look at these areas is totally different from the steering group set up to deal with projects as regards the stadium which has been advocated by a number of federations in the past.
That is a misleading answer. The review group was looking at facilities nationally, regionally and locally.
Does the Minister agree it is essential that we bring this project forward, no matter what arguments we may have about it? It is essential that we have a national stadium. I join with the Minister in his comments on Mr. McManus, in particular. It is important we put on the record our appreciation of what this man has done for sport in general, for voluntary and sporting organisations and charitable institutions. If he wishes to contribute towards this project, the Government should make itself available to consult with him and others. It is necessary to bring this major capital project forward.
I agree with the Deputy. As I said before, Irish culture and tradition changes very slowly and I hope the sporting culture and tradition of the likes of J. P. McManus continues for a long time.
I hope the other culture we experienced in recent times does not.
I agree we must take a genuine look at a stadium for the new century and that is why we set up a steering committee and a feasibility study to see where, when and what exactly we should build, if it is possible at all. It was advocated in 1988 and it is time to look at the matter again. When we got an offer such as that which we received from J. P. McManus, it was one I could not refuse.
