Vol. 564 No. 5
243 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the task forces, consultant reviews, review groups, tribunals, inquiries and similar bodies set up by his Department since July 1997; when interim or final reports were published or when publication may be expected in each case where applicable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9899/03]
Following examination of available records and consultation within the main functional divisions which constitute my Department, which was established in June 2002, I have formulated the following list of task forces, con sultant reviews, review groups, tribunals, inquiries and similar bodies set up since July 1997.
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. The report was made public by the Oireachtas Joint Committee for Tourism, Sport and Recreation on 17 June 1998.
The committee which drew up the code of ethics and good practice for children's sport in Ireland was re-convened in 1998 to review its contents in the light of the Murphy report. A new code was launched on 7 November 2000.
The Irish Sports Council was asked in October 2000 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.
An interdepartmental review of the sports capital programme, operated by my Department, was carried out in 1998 and published in December l998.
An interdepartmental working group was set up in August 1999 to develop guidelines and advise on the other key issues for the operation of a public private partnership approach in relation to swimming pools. The group was chaired by the Department and comprised of members from the Department of the Environment and Local Government, the Office of Public Works and representatives from three local authorities. This report will assist my Department in formulating future policy on swimming pools in the context of an expenditure review of the local authority swimming pools programme which is being carried out this year.
In November 2000 the former Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation commissioned Capita Consultants to prepare a report on business analysis and reform of the financial management function as part of the planned implementation of the management information framework in the Department. Capita Consultants submitted its final report in August 2001.
An overview of the cost of the proposed Stadium and Sports Campus Ireland project was undertaken by consultants, High Point Rendel. Its report was published in January 2002.
In January 2002 an implementation group was requested to prepare a report on the establishment of the new tourism development authority. The group produced its report in April 2002.
