Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies.
Gay Mitchell
Question:
414
Mr. G. Mitchell
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
if he will list every State agency, company, board, group, committee, commission, inquiry or authority which was set up under the aegis of his Department; and if he will give a brief outline of the aims of each such body.
[9929/01]
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid): The Irish Sports Council was established by commencement order under the provisions of the Irish Sports Council Act, 1999, (No. 6 of 1999). The statutory functions of the council include the promotion and development of sport in Ireland in accordance with Government policy.
Millennium Festivals Limited, a private limited company, was set up in 1998 to develop and support festivals for the purpose of celebrating and commemorating the millennium. Following completion of its remit the company went into voluntary liquidation at the end of last year, 2000.
The national assessment committee for the young people's facilities and services fund which is chaired by my Department was established in 1998 to set objectives and prepare guidelines for the assessment of plans and strategies under the fund. The aim of the fund is to support the development of youth facilities, including sports and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas, where a significant drugs problem exists or has the potential to develop. The committee monitors ongoing progress in the implementation of the plans and strategies approved for funding and addresses any difficulties or issues arising.
On 10 February 1998 the Government decided that an independent inquiry into matters relating to child sexual abuse in swimming be carried out by Dr. Roderick Murphy, SC, chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. In arriving at its decision, the Government took account of all issues arising, including the concerns of victims, the desire for privacy of a number of victims and their families and the wider policy issue of how best child sex abuse cases should be handled in such circumstances in future.
In 1998, I reconvened the committee which drew up the code of ethics and good practice for children's sport in Ireland to review its contents in the light of the Murphy report. A new code was launched on 7 November 2000.
In July 1998 I established a group to review the sports capital programme which is administered by my Department, with the policy objective of promoting a more strategic approach to the use of available resources for sport and recreation in Ireland. The group, which was chaired by my Department and whose members were drawn from the relevant Government Departments, local authorities and the Irish Sports Council, reported to me in December 1998. In the light of recommendations of the group I introduced a new sports capital programme in 1999.
I established an interdepartmental working group in August 1999 to develop guidelines and advise on the other key issues for the operation of a public-private partnership, PPP, approach in relation to swimming pools. The group is chaired by my Department and comprises of members from the Department of the Environment and Local Government, the Office of Public Works, and representatives from three local authorities. This report is under consideration in my Department.
In October last, I asked the Irish Sports Council to undertake a review of Ireland's participation in the Sydney Olympics. The purpose of the review, which was carried out by a steering group appointed by the council, was to learn from the experiences of Sydney 2000 and to develop a strategy, based on the analysis of the factual information gathered during the review, for the preparations towards Athens 2004. The review was published on 6 February 2001.
The national advisory committee on drugs was established by the Government in July 2000. Its role is to advise Government in relation to the prevalence, prevention, treatment and consequences of the drugs problem in Ireland, based on the committee's analysis and interpretation of research findings and information available to it. It is overseeing the delivery of a three year prioritised programme of research and evaluation on the extent, nature, causes and effects of drug misuse in Ireland.
