As the first two items are related, they will be taken together.
Adjournment Debate.
Sports Capital Programme.
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and I acknowledge the co-operation of his colleague, the Ceann Comhairle, in allowing me and my colleague, Deputy Crowe, to raise this special issue.
This week as I, along with Deputy Crowe, went about my business in my constituency serving not only Tallaght but also Brittas, Firhouse, Templeogue and Greenhills, many issues were brought to our attention. People spoke to us about the M50, the need for an estate project to be funded, the great news that at last we are to get a new Garda station and the debate on the National Children's Hospital's future in Tallaght.
Temple Street.
I will debate that matter with Deputy McGrath another time.
I want to spend these minutes speaking about the importance of Shamrock Rovers and its vital role in my community in Tallaght. I will preface that by stating I am glad to acknowledge the presence of the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Fahey. I recall he was a very progressive Minister with responsibility for sport in his day. He will be reminded of those days in this debate. I know he will support what I state. Unfortunately the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, is not available to seek me out and speak to me on this motion. I acknowledge that.
I speak as someone who lives in and represents Tallaght and who, over the years, has greatly supported all sports development in my community. In that regard I want to mention the GAA. There has been much mischievous talk about the role of the GAA in this saga. Some recent newspapers have screamed that the GAA is to be run out of Tallaght. That is wrong and mischievous. I am supportive of all my local clubs. In fairness, successive Fianna Fáil Governments, and other Governments, have provided important funding for GAA development in local clubs such as St. Mark's, St. Ann's, Thomas Davis, St. Enda's and St. Jude's among others. It is important to make that point in the context of this motion.
This is about Shamrock Rovers, which has a long and proud history in Dublin. The saga regarding Tallaght has continued for a number of years. I was chairman of the council in 1999 when we took a brave and important decision to bring Shamrock Rovers to a new stadium beside Watergate Park in Tallaght. That decision was supported strongly over the years. Unfortunately, we have had problems getting the stadium opened. I do not want to cover all aspects as I wish to make a few points.
The wider community in the Tallaght region has a half-finished soccer stadium which could be of tremendous benefit. South Dublin County Council must make a decision next Monday to give the go-ahead to allow Government funding to be provided. There has been much toing and froing, particularly over the past couple of months. At its December meeting, the council took a decision to ignore the report that had been approved by the Tallaght area committee, which is a significant point. An amendment was unanimously adopted by the council to proceed on the basis of changing the plans to facilitate other sports and there was talk of the GAA etc. in that regard.
The Minister has made his position and that of the Government very clear. It is important Government funding is provided so that at last this stadium gets the go-ahead and is built. The manager has said that if he was on site, he would produce it in eight months. It is important we press for that.
The county manager has told us he will propose to the council next Monday that it now proceed to complete the stadium on the basis set out in the original report. Significantly, he has said that the next steps will be the signing of the building contract and the commencement of works on the stadium. That is what I and the community in Tallaght want to see.
I congratulate the new Shamrock Rovers which is now run by the fans under the direction of the 400 Club. I am glad Jonathan Roche, the chairman of the 400 Club, and other colleagues are in the Visitors Gallery. I hope they understand there is strong support for this stadium which would be ideal. I will call on the council next Monday to make a positive decision and to work with the Government to ensure funding is provided so that this stadium is ready and able to take Shamrock Rovers, hopefully in the premier division again very soon.
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism needs to explain the decision to block the funding and the decision made by local councillors, which came as a total surprise. I reiterate that from the beginning, I and other councillors have been 100% behind the move of Shamrock Rovers to Tallaght. I want to see the speedy construction of the stadium. During the initial construction of the stadium, I offered to act as a mediator between Shamrock Rovers and the Building and Allied Trade Union, BATU, to resolve a labour dispute which arose.
I was surprised and confused by the mixed message from the Minister who said he was opposed to the concept of the multi-use stadium. That is going in the opposite direction from that in which sport is going, particularly when one considers what is happening in Croke Park and so on. There is much confusion. A worry I have is that while the council is clearly on board and going in one direction, the Minister has said the money will not be available. We must now go back to the drawing board, to some extent, at the council and try to get everyone on board.
I am worried about further delays. The Minister talked about the Genesis report which outlined a re-amalgamation of teams on the southside and northside and that on the southside, possibly Shamrock Rovers and St. Pat's would play in the Tallaght stadium. At a meeting two weeks ago, St. Pat's supporters knocked that proposal on the head. They are totally opposed to the move to Tallaght. At present work is going on in St. Pat's grounds to extend the pitch and also on the stadium. Those are not the actions of a club which will eventually move to Tallaght.
The move of Shamrock Rovers will be a positive one. As a youngster, I supported Shamrock Rovers and travelled all over the country with it. From day one, I wanted to see the stadium in Tallaght because it would play a positive role in children's lives.
The only reason I can see for the Minister not to approve the multi-use stadium is that there might be an extra cost factor. Deputy O'Connor is right that we have a partially built stadium, which is an eyesore. We want to see the stadium finished but the Minister seems to be holding it up, about which I am concerned. I want to see young people and families having the use of that stadium.
Shamrock Rovers, under previous configurations, was given the land for the stadium but has since lost it. It is now essentially public land and for that reason the public must be best served by the stadium as it involves public money. Shamrock Rovers is now being run by its true and loyal supporters, who must be accommodated.
There is much confusion. People want to see the stadium completed and up and running. That is the priority. When will the stadium be completed? If the Government is so concerned about the stadium moving ahead, why was the money not made available to Shamrock Rovers two years ago to go ahead with construction?
I am pleased to take this opportunity to set out the background to this matter and outline the current state of play in relation to the proposed stadium in Tallaght. I apologise for the absence of the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.
Following the development of proposals by Shamrock Rovers Football Club to develop a soccer stadium in Tallaght and with the recommendation of the FAI, the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism provided funding of €2.44 million towards this project in the period 2000 to 2002. This funding was allocated under the sports capital programme, which is administered by the Department to assist projects directly related to the provision of sports and recreational facilities.
The responsibility for overseeing and completing such projects lies entirely with the grant recipients. The €2.44 million was paid out based on invoices for work carried out to the value of €3.3 million on the stadium development certified by the Department's technical advisers, the Office of Public Works. It should also be recognised that a considerable investment in time, effort and money has been made in this project by the FAI and Shamrock Rovers Football Club.
Unfortunately, due to a number of factors not least of which was increased costs due to delays encountered in the planning process, progress on the development ceased in 2002. Since that time the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism has worked closely with South Dublin County Council and the FAI to ensure that the common objective of developing a soccer stadium in Tallaght is achieved.
Following the intervention of South Dublin County Council late in 2004 and its efforts to regain ownership of the site, the Department indicated a willingness to support the council in putting together a financial package that would ensure the early completion of the stadium. This support was based on the plan to provide a soccer stadium for Tallaght that would serve as a viable long-term home for Shamrock Rovers Football Club. Indeed, South Dublin County Council articulated the proposal in a press release issued following its meeting on 10 January 2005 where it stated: "other non-soccer sporting organisations must develop their own sporting facilities".
During 2005, the necessity of ground sharing emerged as the only viable option for supporting investment in the development of Eircom soccer league stadia in Dublin. This was one of the key recommendations from the 2005 Genesis report on the Eircom league. Given that significant funding is being sought to ensure the completion of the Tallaght stadium, such investment can only be justified in its regular usage as a soccer stadium and potential home to two Eircom league clubs. The FAI also envisages it as an ideal venue when completed for high profile international youth and women's games on occasion.
The recent council decision to adopt the manager's report subject to increasing the size of the playing pitch and extending the stands seriously undermines the basis of the previously agreed approach. A larger pitch cannot easily be accommodated within the present site given the buildings already in place and would mean that a future stand on the far side of the existing uncompleted stand would be about half the size as originally envisaged thus limiting the future capacity to about 4,500 seats. Given that the ends of the partially completed west stand are curved, any proposal to extend along the length of a larger pitch is likely to involve demolition of part of the newly built structure leading to significantly increased costs.
With over €385 million allocated to the development of local sports infrastructure nationwide since 1998, it is clear that the Government is committed to investing in a wide variety of sports facilities. Of this amount, €73 million has been invested in facilities for soccer, €130 million for Gaelic games and a further €102 million for community facilities not specific to one particular sport. Tallaght has seen over €9.5 million allocated to clubs in the area in that period and will continue to benefit from funding under the programme.
There is no question of the Minister not being fully supportive of the development of GAA facilities in Tallaght and he would welcome proposals brought forward.
There is also no question of the Minister blocking funding for a multi-use stadium in Tallaght. It is a clear that the original objective of all the parties involved was to develop a modem soccer stadium in Tallaght which together with ancillary facilities would also serve the local community. Given that almost all the submissions made as part of the public consultation process made no reference to catering for other sports, I believe that the local community is fully behind this objective. Work has been undertaken on this development and at this stage there would be considerable cost implications and further delays if there was an obligation to adjust the stadium to cater for Gaelic games. The capacity of the stadium would be reduced and the ground sharing option for two Eircom league clubs would not be possible. This would be a lost opportunity for soccer.
It is my understanding that when completed, the stadium will remain in the control of South Dublin County Council, who will license its usage based on an annual number of games. The management and additional usage of the stadium and any ancillary facilities will be a matter for the council to decide. The Minister remains committed to the completion of a soccer stadium in Tallaght and is firm in his belief that recent efforts to change the scope of the agreed approach to the proposed project can only lead to an unsatisfactory stadium and to further delays and increased costs. The Department continues to be in regular contact with South Dublin County Council and is hopeful that a decision will be made to complete the stadium as originally intended. This project has had a difficult history and like those most directly involved over the years, the Minister is anxious that the stadium would be completed as a matter of urgency.
I completely reject Deputy Crowe's suggestions that the Minister has held up this facility in any way. It is clear that he is most anxious for it to proceed.
Why did he not come up with the money a long time ago?
Deputy O'Connor should be complimented on his positive approach. Hopefully, the issue can be resolved and we can proceed.
I know that the Minister of State is a Galway United supporter.
Hospital Services.
The Government has failed to honour commitments made to provide funding for dedicated medical services for victims of rape and sexual assault. It has emerged this week from a report carried out on behalf of the Government — the Minister for State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Fahey, may have been involved in its production — that despite the fact that 95% of rape cases do not end in a conviction, three of the four sexual assault treatment units in the country are at risk of closure due to lack of State funding. I believe that a sum of only €7 million is in question, which was promised before the budget.
The availability of dedicated medical services pertaining to rape and sexual assault is fundamental to successfully prosecuting the perpetrators. Repeatedly, cases do not proceed to court because of the lack of services to compile forensic evidence in the appropriate way. Figures from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the provisional crime statistics for 2005 compared to 2004 show some shocking increases in sexual assault offences. For example, rape section 4 offences have increased by 33%, while rape of a female has increased by 8%. The figures for unlawful carnal knowledge have risen by 8% and those for sexual assault by 7%. Hence, this is a major problem. Obviously this does not only affect women, it also affects children of both sexes and indeed younger men in particular. Nevertheless, the vast majority of victims are women.
At present there are four sexual assault treatment units in Ireland. Only the unit in the South Infirmary Hospital, Cork receives funding from the Department of Health and Children. According to the report, the other three are now at crisis point and on the brink of closure due to staffing difficulties caused by a lack of funding. The unit in the Rotunda hospital conducts 300 forensic examinations a year, with one third of its victims coming from outside the Dublin area. It depends on a core group of just three doctors, a half-time nurse manager and shared nursing staff from the gynaecological unit. The unit is now at crisis point due to staff shortages.
While the unit in Waterford Regional Hospital is the newest facility, its funding is limited to one year, which threatens the sustainability of the service and makes it difficult to retain doctors. Due to staff shortages, the unit can only offer services to victims of sexual assault who are willing to report a crime. The unit in Letterkenny General Hospital has been obliged to limit its catchment area to Donegal due to staffing issues. The report notes that it is struggling to remain open with only two doctors providing forensic medical examination services on an ad hoc basis and concludes that cessation of this much-needed service seems inevitable, unless immediate steps are taken to address this crisis.
The report highlights the difficulties experienced by victims of sexual assault who do not live close to an existing sexual assault treatment unit. The Minister of State's county of Galway, together with the entire midlands, lacks a sexual assault treatment unit. The reporting of rapes or sexual assaults is lower in those areas which lack a treatment unit. This appears to be linked to the fact that victims in these areas must either turn to a GP who is willing to perform the forensic examination or make a four to six hour car journey for a forensic examination to report the crime. In some areas, there are no GPs with the requisite training to carry out forensic examinations.
The report was also highly critical of existing facilities in Garda stations for victims making statements and recommended that the HSE should provide a dedicated interview room in each region. The Tánaiste and the Minister of State must respond to the shocking findings of this report. The Government must intervene to ensure that the existing sexual assault treatment units receive the funding they require to offer a full service to victims of rape and sexual assault. Moreover, new funding must be allocated to provide appropriate services in Galway and the midlands. Serious sexual assault devastates the life of the victims and very often the lives of their families. Victims go to hell and back again and if the forensic examinations are not performed properly, it is almost impossible for the Garda to help secure a conviction. This means that effectively, a sense of impunity arises, particularly when drink is involved in aggravating a sexual assault. I plead with the Minister of State to do something for the victims of these heinous crimes.
I welcome this opportunity to update the House on matters relating to the difficult issue of violence against women and in particular in respect of the care for and treatment of the victims of sexual assault. Violence against women originally emerged as a major public issue in the consultation process in the Department of Health's policy document on women's health in 1996. This led to the publication of the task force report on violence against women in 1997, which contained recommendations to address the needs of women who had been raped or sexually assaulted.
In light of the complexity of the issue and the number of different agencies involved, the Government established the national steering committee on violence against women, NSC, in 1997 to facilitate a multidisciplinary and co-ordinated response from the State and the voluntary sector.
Last year, on behalf of the national steering committee, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform commissioned the development of a new strategic plan for the committee to take account of developments since it was established and the progress that has been made in implementing the recommendations of the original task force. This project has involved extensive consultation with interested parties as well as an evaluation of the working methods and structures of the NSC, with a view to further enhancing their effectiveness and laying down a work plan for the future. The strategic plan should be completed later this year.
The provision of appropriate services for victims of sexual assault is a matter of particular concern. I accept the point made by Deputy Burton in this respect. In order to evaluate the current situation in the State and to look at good practice in other jurisdictions with a view to enhancing Irish service provision, if necessary, the national steering committee established the sub-group, chaired by the Department of Health and Children, referred to by Deputy Burton which was tasked to review the medical and forensic services available to victims of sexual assault.
The aim of this review was to examine the provision of sexual assault treatment services in Ireland and in doing so, to identify the most appropriate service for adult and teenage — both male and female — victims of sexual crime that would adopt a holistic approach to care, and in so doing so incorporate all the relevant aspects such as health, justice and psychological needs. The Deputy may already be aware that there are currently four sexual assault treatment units in Ireland, located in the east, south-east, south and north-west regions.
The report of this group was completed late last year and its publication is imminent. Its recommendations are already under consideration in the Departments of Health and Children and Justice, Equality and Law Reform and will be further considered in the context of the overall review of the ongoing response to violence against women. The Department of Health and Children is arranging to print the report and I assume that it will then be placed in the public domain.
However, I will not break any confidences by outlining that the recommendations examine, inter alia, the need for a more uniformly available service across the country, for enhanced training for those working in this field and at better networking and information sharing. I am determined that improved coordination arrangements will flow from this large body of strategic work being undertaken under my stewardship as chair of the national steering committee, and, in particular, that this will lead to the enhancement of services for victims of violence against women and to an increase in the availability and quality of service in sexual assault treatment units.
I accept there are serious gaps in the service and that is why the interdepartmental committee was established. It will report shortly and I am determined to ensure finance will be available to locate treatment centres throughout the State and, in particular, in the west.
Community Development.
I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter about the need for increased Government support for the Cobh and Great Island community centre project. This project is ten years in gestation. Five national lottery funding applications were made between 1997 and 2000, all of which were unsuccessful. The organisers were informed no stop gap funding was available for such a broad-based community project. A welcome grant of €400,000 was made in 2001, which is the only Government support received to date.
The project committee, together with the people of Cobh, raised €852,000 for the project through local fund raising, pledges and sheer hard work and determination to get the project off the ground. The centre is being built on a valuable 0.9 acre site in the centre of the town, which was donated by the Cobh parish authorities. Between the fund raising and the donation, the community has generated a significant amount for the project. No such facility exists in Cobh, even though it is the largest town in County Cork. It is expanding rapidly with many new housing estates coming on stream. A feeling of isolation exists in the town because there is no focal point for community activities. The organisers and builders of the project are confident it will fill that gap and enhance and complement existing facilities.
The ground storey of the proposed three-storey building will be occupied by the Cope Foundation, which will run a workshop for local people with disabilities. Sixty such people travel from the town every day by train, bus and taxi to a similar facility. The second floor will have an emphasis on youth facilities and activities while the third floor will consist of meeting rooms and so on for community and general use. A multi-purpose hall will facilitate indoor football, badminton and table tennis and can be used as a theatre or concert hall for social gatherings and conferences.
The project is at a crucial stage. The committee is in a dilemma, having to let the builder go from the site because money has run out. The consequence of this action will be regrettable for all. More expense will be involved in getting the builder back on site and the project will hit a low for those who have worked tirelessly for the past ten years and the residents of the area will be annoyed that an unfinished development will be left in their midst. Security and insurance will also become problems while the project could collapse if those involved become disillusioned.
Ideally, the committee would have preferred to have had all the funding in place for the project on its commencement but that was not possible. The committee had €1 million and then sought extra funding but every door was closed. However, the message from Government was that the committee should spend the money it had and more funds would come its way. They did so, hence, the present position. The Government has focused on the community for the past year and in recent days Ministers have referred to the sums available for community development. I hope that is not all pie in the sky and that the Minister of State has good news for this hard working committee, the members of which have given significant time and resources for this project and will make funds available immediately for its completion.
The contract for phase 1 of the community centre was signed in mid-2005 with a cost of approximately €1 million. Great progress was made and the shell of a three-storey building and attached multipurpose hall is in place. Windows have been fitted, the roof completed and external plastering has been done. The contract did not provide for internal finishes and, therefore, the building is not fit for use. Phase 1 is complete because the weather has been so good. It is the intention of the committee and all concerned that sufficient funds will be secured but, unfortunately, this has not happened. I have written to numerous Ministers and Departments over the past month seeking assistance for the project. The shortfall is approximately €600,000. If the Government even matched the funding raised, it would go a long way. The Government does not even have to provide that if the value of the site is taken into account. The committee has put in unbelievable work to raise €852,000, which is no small feat for a small town. The project is badly needed and it would make a significant difference to the town, which has suffered job losses in recent years. It needs a focal point and a sum of €600,000 is not huge in the overall scheme of things. I implore the Minister of State, if he does not have good news, to return to the Government to ascertain what can be done to progress the project.
The Minister for Finance announced in budget 2002 that in my Department's Vote a special one-off provision of £450,000 would be included as a contribution towards the cost of constructing a community centre in Cobh. In subsequent years, during which this project went through various preparatory phases, my Department was in close contact with Cobh Community Centre Ltd., the company established to manage the project, and with the relevant local authorities.
In May 2005, following site inspections, discussions with the principals concerned and detailed assessment of their proposals, my Department notified Cobh Community Centre Ltd. that it was satisfied that the project, as then constituted, was viable and was approved for financial assistance. A two-phase development strategy was agreed. Phase 1 was to involve the demolition of an existing building, site grading, drainage, and construction of steel frame works while phase 2 was to involve the internal fitting-out of the community centre.
The overall cost of the project was estimated in May 2005 to be €1.6 million, including a small contingency sum. Phase I was costed at €800,000, while phase 2 was costed at €725,000. My Department agreed with Cobh Community Centre Ltd., that the full Exchequer allocation of €450,000 should go towards the costs of phase 1 and should be drawn in three instalments, on foot of appropriate certification. It was understood that the balance of phase 1 funding would come from a number of sources, including the Cope Foundation, local authorities and the Catholic Church, as well as local contributions. The local authorities contributed more than €150,000 to date, which means more than €600,000 in public funds has been invested.
Phase 2 of the project was to be funded by the bodies just mentioned and a credit union loan of €500,000. On this basis, the full amount of €450,000 was drawn down by Cobh Community Centre Ltd. in September, October and November 2005 upon certification to my Department by Cork County Council that relevant works had been carried out in a satisfactory manner. On 30 December, Cobh Community Centre Ltd. acknowledged that it had received the final grant payment in respect of this project and thanked my Department for its help and efficiency in dealing with the matter. There was no suggestion at that time that there were difficulties regarding funding for phase 2 of the project.
However, a letter dated 10 January 2006 from the chairman of the Cobh Community Centre Ltd., raised issues relating to funding and the level of Government support for the project. In this letter, the chairman stated that phase 1 of the project, due to be completed very shortly, cost more than €1 million. This was the first we heard of prices going through the roof. The letter intimated, without outlining detail, that the project cannot proceed further because of lack of funds. My Department will shortly contact Cobh Community Centre Ltd. to establish in detail the current position. However, I acknowledge the value of this project to the community in Cobh, and the sterling efforts made locally to raise funding. They have done a lot of work to bring the project to fruition. However, the House must appreciate that I am not in a position at this time to commit to further Exchequer funding.
I heard Deputy Stanton say that they were advised to spend what they have and come back for more. If that is in writing, I would like to see it. It may be that letters are flying around to different Ministers seeking funds. As I said, we were already dealing with the matter in the Department. It was originally given to my Department by the Department of Finance. The letter dated 10 January was the first we knew of any difficulties in this regard. We will now contact the body seeking further details.
I undertake to come back and respond further to the Deputy. It is a fact that €600,000 of public funds has gone into this project, which is a considerable amount of money. Given that the cost increased, obviously something happened along the way. Perhaps extra work was carried out. The Department received the letter dated the end of December thanking it profusely, and ten days afterwards we heard the bad news, which was the first time we heard about it.
I need further information on the matter. Perhaps someone else knew something, but the Department certainly did not. I will undertake to get some additional information to see what can be done, if anything.
The Dáil adjourned at 5.20 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 14 February 2006.