Vol. 495 No. 5
42 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the policy initiatives, if any, in train within his Department to provide access to sporting and leisure facilities to children, in particular to those who live in areas of multiple disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19951/98]
Increased participation in sport and recreation, particularly by disadvantaged communities, is a fundamental objective of current sports policy. The review of the sports capital programme is one of the activities currently under way in the context of delivering on this objective. Among the issues to be considered in the context of the review is the question of securing increased access to sports facilities funded wholly or partly by the State. I expect the review to be completed before the end of 1998.
Today, I circulated the Irish Sports Council Bill, 1998, and one of the specific functions which I propose to give under statute to the council is to formulate strategies aimed directly at increasing participation in recreational sport. I expect that increased participation in areas of multiple disadvantage will be amongst the priorities for such strategies.
The Deputy may also wish to note that the purpose of the young, people's facilities and services fund to which the Government has committed £30 million over the next three years, is to develop youth facilities, including sport and recreation facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas of major urban centres, where a drug problem exists or has the potential to develop, with a view to attracting young people in those areas into more healthy and productive pursuits.
My Department, which has responsibility for the co-ordination of the Government's national drugs strategy, also chairs the assessment committee which will assess plans and proposals under the fund. This committee will make recommendations to the Government via the Cabinet committee on social inclusion in relation to the allocation of funding.
