Vol. 567 No. 5
86 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the comprehensive survey of the availability of recreational facilities in disadvantaged areas, which was promised in An Agreed Programme for Government, will begin; the person by whom the survey will be undertaken; when it is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14388/03]
With regard to the commitment in the programme for Government, officials in my Department have held discussions with officials from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism on how best to carry out a survey of the availability of recreational facilities in disadvantaged areas. In this context, the Deputy should note that the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism has commenced work on drawing up a new long-term strategic plan for the provision of sports facilities throughout the country. A national audit of local sports facilities will be carried out as part of this process.
An inter-agency steering group will be established towards the end of the summer to oversee the national audit of facilities. This group will be chaired by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and will include representatives from my Department, the Departments of Education and Science and Environment and Local Government, the Irish Sports Council and some local authorities. I understand from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism that carrying out an effective and comprehensive national audit of local facilities is a major and complex undertaking which is likely to take a substantial amount of time and resources to complete.
I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Is it good enough, in the context of the provisions that are made for front-loading under the RAPID programme, that we should have to wait for the outcome of a national audit before this issue is substantially addressed in disadvantaged areas? Given that there are relatively few disadvantaged areas, is it not possible for local authorities to provide a list of the sporting facilities in such areas to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs? The machinery could then be put in place to prioritise those areas and to discriminate in their favour in terms of the disbursement of funding under the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism's scheme.
The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism has stated that a major review of facilities is a comprehensive task and it is keen to consider the parameters of such a study. It is making it sound like a major project. We are trying to push the Department along, but another fund – the young people's facilities and services fund – is being provided for by my Department in the meantime. This fund was set up when we recognised that disadvantaged areas are not well served for sporting and recreational facilities. Approximately €60 million has been spent under the fund and we are continuing to push for more money to be allocated to it. The national audit of local sports facilities will be conducted, primarily, by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.
It will be good to complete a survey of the type referred to by the Minister of State, as it will provide major benefits in the future. Can we have a guarantee from him, however, that the grant payment system will operate on the basis of the survey? A simple survey that is available to everyone shows that the allocation of moneys under the sports programme in recent years has been massively weighted in favour of County Donegal, which happens to be the home county of the former Minister in this area. Similarly, County Kildare, which happens to be home county of the Minister for Finance, also benefited to a massive extent. Other areas, such as counties Monaghan and Cavan, received the crumbs that remained. We need an assurance from the Minister of State that the historic benefits enjoyed by some areas will be taken into account. I urge him to examine the facilities in towns like Monaghan, which does not have a swimming pool. We do not want a survey that will allow such projects to be delayed, as they are vital if communities are to grow. As the Minister for Finance said in the House not so long ago, we cannot have decentralisation without facilities such as swimming pools. There is a knock-on effect. I ask the Minister of State to give an assurance that the survey will take into account the massive benefits given to certain areas that were over-financed in the recent past.
Will the Minister of State consider areas where a fairly comprehensive study has already been conducted and where data is available? A needs and resources study in relation to sporting facilities, which was conducted in Cork city over a two-year period, has been completed in the last 12 months. As we emerge from a period in which we had government by committee, I am worried that we are entering a period of government by survey. Will the money start to flow if the information is available? I have been pointing out for years that it is reprehensible that one of the most successful camogie teams in Ireland, Cork, does not have a pitch of its own. This is an equality issue – I refer to equality of gender rather than social advantage and disadvantage. Will we receive the money to provide what is needed on the basis of the survey in Cork, which has been completed?
The questions asked by the two Deputies are coming from opposite perspectives, in a way. The programme for Government includes a commitment to complete a national audit of sporting facilities and to put in place a long-term strategic plan to ensure the development of necessary facilities throughout the country. The theory is that the strategic plan should be observed, after it has been completed, when one is dispersing funds. I cannot give an assurance in that regard but I can say that there is no point spending two years conducting an audit and preparing a strategic plan if the Minister then ignores it. I refer to the Department which will be involved in the allocation of funds. Any plan should be put in place for a purpose.
We must proceed to the next question.
Certain criteria, such as whether or not the relevant areas are covered by the RAPID or CLÁR programmes, need to be taken into account when funds are being allocated by Departments this year. We all know from our experiences as public representatives that certain disadvantaged areas did not receive their fair share of facilities in the past.
