Vol. 532 No. 1
337 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the extent to which co-operation exists between his Department and the Department of Education and Science in the matter of the provision of sporting and recreational facilities in schools and colleges for joint use by students and the general public; the number and location of such jointly funded or operated facilities at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6917/01]
Responsibility for the provision of sporting and recreational facilities in schools and colleges is a matter in the first instance for the Department of Education and Science.
The national lottery funded sports capital programme operated by my Department provides funding to clubs and organisations at local, regional and national level for the provision of sports and recreational facilities. Under the programme, funding is allocated on the basis of individual applications received, with special priority being given to proposals for facilities in disadvantaged areas, in line with Government policy aimed at increasing participation in sport and recreation in these areas.
Under the programme, applications from schools and colleges must be made jointly with local sports clubs or community groups and must provide for significant levels of usage by the local community during periods when the facilities are not being used by the school itself – at least 30 hours per week throughout the year, and demonstrate that the facilities concerned will meet an identified deficiency in that locality, as formally agreed with other local groups and-or the local authority.
The purpose of this is to ensure that regard is had to the identified needs of the area and that the proposed development does not result in an overlap with and-or duplication of existing facilities.
During the course of the assessment of applications received under the sports capital programme my Department consults, as appropriate, with other relevant Departments and agencies, including the Irish Sports Council, with a view to ensuring co-ordination in the provision of sport and recreational facilities at local level. Prior to making any allocations to schools and colleges, my Department consults with the planning and building unit of the Department of Education and Science to establish the plans, if any, it might have for the provision of sporting facilities in the area.
