Vol. 512 No. 2
149 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he or bodies under his aegis have any responsibility for the provision of funds, coaching, training and management facilities for athletes in anticipation of the next Olympics; if facilities compare favourably to the athletes in other countries; the proposals, if any, he has to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25745/99]
150 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the degree to which adequate funding for training facilities for the sporting disciplines is available from the Vote in his Department; if this compares favourably with the availability of funds in other jurisdictions whose athletes are likely to compete with this country in the next Olympics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25746/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 150 together.
This Government has signalled its commitment to the development of sport and recreational facilities by increasing the funding for capital expenditure for this purpose, by more than 350%, from £8.5 million in 1997 to £39.4 million in the Estimates for the year 2000. This increase includes provision for a trebling in funding for the sports capital programme from £5 million in 1997 to £15 million in 2000; a fourfold increase in the provision for the swimming pool programme from £3.5 million in 1997 to £15 million in 2000; almost £6 million towards the development of Ireland's first ever 50 metre swimming pool and £20 million support towards the development of Croke Park, the final £6 million of which is due for payment in 2000.
Following an application process earlier this year under the sports capital programme, allocations totalling some £18 millions have been made in 1999 to some 400 local community based projects and to a number of national and regional projects throughout the country. Provision is being made in the multi-annual estimates for the continuation of the programme at 1999 levels in 2000 and 2001. I have also secured an increase in funding of £36 million over the next three years for the swimming pool programme – from £3 million in 1999 to £15 million per annum for the next three years.
Fingal County Council has recently completed a feasibility study on the provision of an indoor athletics training facility adjacent to the existing athletics facilities at Morton stadium, which is prioritised in the recently published review of the Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium.
Under the national development plan announced last week, financial assistance amounting to £85 million will be available over the seven years of the plan to support the development of sport and recreational facilities by local authorities, particularly in areas which lack them and for voluntary groups developing multi-sport and recreational facilities where no such facilities currently exist.
Schemes now operating since 1 July under the aegis of the Sports Council and the national governing bodies of the olympic sports were allocated over £2.5 million towards their activities this year, and a further £1 million has been allocated to their elite athletes-players under the international carding scheme which comprises individual grants as well as access to medical support, sports science services and career counselling.
