Vol. 637 No. 7
1 Deputy Jimmy Deenihan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the international design competition announced in September 2006 for the proposed new national theatre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19552/07]
Last autumn the Government decided to proceed with the redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre at George's Dock on a build, finance and maintain basis. Arising from the Government decision, an interagency steering committee was set up to oversee the project. The committee is chaired by my Department and comprises representatives of the National Development Finance Agency, the Office of Public Works, the Abbey Theatre and the Dublin Docklands Development Agency.
The steering group has met three times and is due to meet again on 20 July. A process auditor has been appointed, in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines. At its first meeting in December 2006, the committee decided the Office of Public Works should prepare the documentation necessary for holding an international design competition for the new Abbey Theatre.
A project team, chaired by the Office of Public Works and representative of the same agencies as the steering group, with the exception of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, has also been set up and is currently overseeing the arrangements for holding the international design competition. The OPW has asked the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, RIAI, to organise the competition. The RIAI, with the assistance of the OPW, is in the process of drafting the competition regulations. The technical documentation for the competition must be carefully specified. A jury is also being set up to select the winning design. The jury will have representatives from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the OPW, the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, the Arts Council, the Abbey Theatre and some international figures in the architectural and theatre worlds.
Discussions are currently ongoing between the Abbey and the OPW on the detailed accommodation brief for the new theatre. In the meantime, the OPW is working on the preliminary drafting of output specifications. It is also liaising with the NDFA on assembling technical advisor teams, with a view to progressing the project as much as possible while the design competition is being held.
The NDFA has recently appointed legal advisers arising from a market exercise. When a winning design has been chosen the NDFA will oversee the procurement process in accordance with PPP guidelines.
I congratulate the Minister on taking over his new portfolio and wish him the best of luck.
The issue of providing a new national theatre has been going on for approximately ten years. As the Minister said, last July, the relocation of the national theatre to George's Dock was approved by the Government. The then Minister made a public statement in September that there would be an international design competition. On 26 October last year, the previous Minister said he hoped to have a design by the summer of 2007. We are now well into the summer, yet we still do not have a competition, not to mention a design. I hope there will be no further procrastination. There is a need for a new national theatre. The temporary arrangement, including the provision of new seating, is not good enough. Will the Minister give us a realistic timescale for the publication of the international design competition? How long will it take to process the various interests that respond? Realistically, when does the Minister think the first block will be laid for the new theatre?
I thank the Deputy for his kind wishes. The portfolio is a bit of a change from social welfare. I look forward to working with the Opposition spokespersons for the benefit of the arts, sport and tourism in Ireland.
The completion date I have for the entire project is 2010. In the course of the next three years, therefore, all these steps must be taken. The best estimate I have from the Department is a completion date, all going well, of mid-2010. We will get through all these processes in the next three years, including the design competition, the PPP development, the National Development Finance Agency, and the procurement process. In the coming 36 months, all of those hurdles must be overcome.
I would like to see a landmark building emerging from this development. This generation has been slow to provide such edifices. The quality of architecture is first class and that is why I am glad we are holding a truly international competition. This generation has been somewhat shy, however, in leaving the nation with some good, iconic, landmark buildings. This will be an opportunity to do so.
I certainly agree with the Minister's remarks. I believe €130 million was earmarked for this development and I ask the Minister to confirm this. Is the Minister entirely confident that the jury, to use his word, that has been selected will have the competence to judge this international design competition? Perhaps international consultants could be added to help the jury.
If the Deputy has any suggestions regarding international consultants I will certainly consider them. We are proposing to include international figures from the worlds of theatre and architecture on the jury.
Regarding costing, this project is a public private partnership so, in that sense, it is difficult to produce an exact figure but it is expected to be around €150 million. One must appreciate that this figure dates from 2004 or 2005 and may not be the same in 2010.
2 Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to the recent ESRI report commissioned by the Irish Sports Council, Fair Play? Sport and Social Disadvantage in Ireland, that shows that people with low incomes and low educational attainment are far less likely to participate in sport than those with higher incomes and a third-level education; if he will implement any of the conclusions and recommendations of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19551/07]
5 Deputy Jimmy Deenihan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the actions he will take to address the issues raised in the recent ESRI report on sport, particularly the need to redirect a much more substantial proportion of expenditure towards sports activities likely to benefit the disadvantaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19555/07]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 5 together.
I am aware that the Irish Sports Council, under its research remit, is striving to develop a profound understanding of sport in Ireland that can inform policy and investment over the coming years. It commissioned the Economic and Social Research Institute to undertake studies on its behalf. Four major reports have already been published, each one adding to our knowledge of sport in this country.
The fourth report in the series, Fair Play? Sport and Social Disadvantage in Ireland, to which the Deputy refers, set out to examine the impact of social disadvantage on various forms of participation in sport. The report concludes that the large majority of people who play sport in Ireland and who enjoy the health benefits arising from this activity are from higher income and better-educated social groups.
The report makes a clear case in support of substantial public expenditure to increase participation in sport. This justifies the significant Government investment in sport in recent years. The budget for sport has increased from €17 million in 1997 to over €295 million in 2007. By the end of 2006, over €900 million had been invested directly in sport since 1997 to support the promotion and development of sport at all levels. Furthermore, the National Development Plan 2007-13 includes a commitment to provide €991 million for sport under the aegis of my Department during that period.
The increased funding provided to the Irish Sports Council, from €13 million in 2000 to over €54 million this year, has enabled a number of significant interventions for the benefit of disadvantaged areas. Examples include the local sports partnerships network, development officers in national governing bodies and special funding to the FAI, GAA and IRFU.
The ESRI report concludes that disadvantage starts at an early age and there is evidence that disadvantage begins to affect some children's involvement in sport from a very young age. In this regard I am pleased that the Irish Sports Council's buntús programme is now rolling out to primary schools in local sports partnership areas.
One of the stated objectives of the sports capital programme is to prioritise the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of sports programmes. In this regard the Deputies will be aware of the RAPID and CLÁR programmes and local drugs task force areas. My Department liaises closely with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pobail and local authorities with a view to emphasising investment in disadvantaged areas.
I congratulate both the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy Brennan, on their new positions. I am sure we will have many constructive debates.
This report highlights points I have been making for a long time and I will read an extract from the second paragraph on the second page. It states, "Seen in this light a concern with Irish sports policy is that it relies almost exclusively on improvements in facilities to increase involvement, with little contact or communication directed towards people who do not currently participate in sport." This represents a major problem.
Local clubs and teams cherry-pick the best players in estates that experience anti-social behaviour and nothing is being done to involve more children from the areas highlighted in the report. I asked the previous Minister to examine this issue because there is a need to provide personnel along with facilities and, in doing so, move the goalposts regarding funding. Some clubs have used funding for the advancement of their communities while others have used it for members' facilities and this is where questions arise. Can the Minister direct the Irish Sports Council to have more involvement in communities, rather than clubs? We must foster communities, rather than clubs, around the facilities that have been provided.
Sports partnerships are a good thing but are understaffed. In local sports partnerships in Kildare only two people cater for 150,000 people and this is not enough to address the problems that exist. Can the Minister move the goalposts towards the facilities and personnel aspects of lottery funding? Can he increase the number of staff involved in local sports partnerships to give them the opportunity to build on the good work that is being done?
I will look at the issues the Deputy has raised. None of us can be proud of the conclusion in the report that the large majority of people who play sports in Ireland, and who enjoy the health benefits arising from those activities, are from higher-income and better-educated social groups. It is good that these people benefit but, having spent almost three years at the Department of Social and Family Affairs, I know that sport can play a significant role in tackling disadvantage. I propose, during my time in this office, to give priority to those experiencing disadvantage because sport provides great opportunities to tackle the issue and make a difference to communities, individuals and broken families. We must try to absorb the findings of this report and focus more on bringing the benefits of sport to disadvantaged areas, communities and individuals. I will return to the House on this issue because I intend to put a significant amount of work into the area.
Local sports partnerships have received €16 million in Government funding since they were set up in 2001 and I have heard the Deputy's comments about Kildare. A major initiative on disability officers and areas of disadvantage has come about through the dormant accounts fund and we will press ahead with such projects.
I appeal to the Minister to listen to the Opposition, whatever roles we may have next September. Over the past five years Deputy Wall and I came up with many ideas and they were not always heard or implemented. I think this Minister will listen to us and we are prepared to provide him with good ideas and initiatives.
The Minister is obviously in agreement with the report and it is stark in its analysis. It is based on the available data so it is almost certain that public money spent on sport in Ireland is regressive and represents a transfer of resources from the less well-off to the better-off. The report plainly shows that levels of participation in sport depend on household income and educational attainment and this is not right. I ask the Minister to intervene through local sports partnerships and schools. I posed the following question to the previous Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. Will the Minister give priority to applications for lottery funding for sport halls which are submitted jointly by schools in a disadvantaged area and local sports clubs? A change in policy in this regard would lead to sports halls being provided in disadvantaged areas nationwide. Will he consider this request when allocating national lottery funds?
I will consider the Deputy's proposal. Anyone who works with me knows that I listen to ideas, including suggestions from the Opposition parties. The Deputy should be careful what he recommends because he might not be too pleased if I act on his suggestions.
I have recommended this course of action for a long time. The Minister would gain from it.
I will listen carefully to Deputies' suggestions. I will examine Deputy Wall's interesting proposal to fund sport in communities as opposed to clubs. I do not have sufficient knowledge of the issue Deputy Deenihan raises but I promise to find out about it before sittings resume in September.
Perhaps the Minister is unaware of the two-tier system in sport. Summer camps, a brilliant facility, are being arranged all over the country. As a former Minister for Social and Family Affairs, the Minister will be aware that a single parent on social welfare receives around €185 weekly. Enrolling a child in a summer camp would cost almost €70 or almost half of his or her weekly income. For this reason, it is not an option.
I hope the Minister and the Irish Sports Council will inform organisations which organise summer camps, for instance, the GAA and FAI, that they must reduce the horrendous fees they charge as they prevent wider participation and a greater social mix. Most of the costs of summer camps are associated with equipment. Will the Minister make representations to the Irish Sports Council to ensure wider participation in these camps, even if it means a young lad no longer gets a sports jersey at the end of the camp because this may prevent his neighbour or friend playing? One can imagine the effect that exclusion from such events for financial reasons must have on children from families in the lower-income bracket.
This is a timely debate with an ESRI report published recently and an exchange on this matter on the floor of the House. It is time to take a long, hard look at this issue and I will do so urgently.
3 Deputy Jimmy Deenihan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will make special provision in the 2008 national lottery capital sports grants allocation to encourage the development of either municipal or community multisport facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19553/07]
The sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations. It is the main vehicle for development of sports facilities at local, regional and national level. The programme is open to applications from local authorities and other community organisations for the development of multisport facilities. Under the 2007 programme, more than €5 million was allocated to multisport projects serving the wider community. This is on the back of sustained sports capital investment in this sector over the lifetime of the previous Government. In that period, sports capital funding of approximately €35.5 million was allocated to community or municipal multisport projects. These projects not only meet local needs but also add considerably to national and regional sporting infrastructure. This investment increases levels of participation and improves standards of performance.
As the Deputy may be aware, a national audit of sports facilities is ongoing. This will provide me with a more comprehensive picture of the distribution and availability of sports facilities across the country, including multisport facilities. I will examine the outcome of this audit, particularly in the context of the development of the national sports facility strategy and the structure of the sports capital programme. In addition, my Department will work closely with local authorities in the funding of key, multipurpose municipal sports facilities, which will be identified in the gateway and hub locations in the context of the implementation of the National Development Plan 2007-13.
I welcome the thrust of the Minister's response. While I realise that €5 million from a total budget of €80 million is a relatively small sum, a precedent has been established. I ask the Minister to place particular emphasis on encouraging the main outdoor sporting codes, notably rugby, soccer and GAA, to work together to provide simple, shared facilities such as changing and weights rooms and medical facilities. They could have their own ancillary facilities attached to these facilities. Opportunities for such co-operation are available across the country. We have seen changes in Croke Park and Lansdowne Road as a result of co-operation between the Gaelic, soccer and rugby codes. The Minister should urge the sporting bodies to engage in greater co-operation.
We have an ideal opportunity to emphasise to local authorities and the principal sporting organisations, particularly those involved in outdoor sports, including athletics, the importance of co-operation in providing shared local, multisport facilities. Such co-operation should also be encouraged among the indoor sports codes although indoor facilities generally cater for all indoor sports. The provision of facilities would be enhanced if such co-operation were encouraged.
It is incumbent on all of us to get the best value for money from the annual budget of approximately €300 million. I accept the Deputy's thesis that sharing facilities and co-operation between various sporting bodies must be at the heart of this approach. To use dreadful business jargon we must sweat the assets because taxpayers' money is involved and must be used in a manner that delivers the optimum benefits. This means sharing facilities, co-operating where possible and avoiding wasteful duplication. This is common sense. I accept the allocation of €5 million for multisport facilities is low and I will examine it.
Does the Minister plan to meet the national sporting organisations to discuss the concept of sharing facilities and the development of multisport facilities? It would be a good initiative if he were to bring these bodies together and encourage them to co-operate in the provision of these facilities.
I have had initial meetings on broad policy issues with the chief executive of the Irish Sports Council and representatives of other sporting bodies. I will meet representatives from all the major national governing bodies in sport in due course and I will keep the multisport concept firmly on the table. My focus will be to ensure the €300 million of taxpayers' money will be used for good, strong social purposes, does not result in duplication and maximises the benefits to taxpayers.
4 Deputy Jimmy Deenihan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his Department will provide a special marketing fund to promote the mid-west and western sea board in view of the uncertainty about the number of flights that will operate into Shannon in 2008 and the number of cancellations from a number of groups for the early part of 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19554/07]
I welcome the open skies agreement with the USA. It is a very positive development for tourism here and has long been a major objective of tourism policy. It has been supported by industry interests and endorsed by the tourism policy review group. Already, following on from the open skies deal, Aer Lingus has announced new services to San Francisco, Orlando and Washington Dulles.
The open skies regime will result in the phasing out of the Shannon stop-over policy. This is a challenge and an opportunity for Shannon Airport. If the airport is to successfully rise to this challenge, a number of issues will need to be addressed, including the efficiency of the airport, the development of new routes into Shannon Airport, improvements to the ground transport infrastructure around the airport and the further development of the tourism product around the region.
I am pleased to note that significant progress has been made in recent months in putting the airport on a more sound business footing. This is vital because if the airport does not deliver a cost-efficient service, its future will be limited.
The Government, under its agreed programme, is committed to providing "significant infrastructural development in the Mid West area, as well as marketing support... for a transitional period to help consolidate existing markets and develop new sources of business". To help deliver on this commitment, my colleague, the Minister for Transport and the Marine, is bringing an economic and tourism development plan for the Shannon Airport catchment area to the Cabinet. The draft plan will address the marketing issue. Whatever the Government decides in relation to the plan, the Deputy may assume Tourism Ireland, Shannon Development and other agencies will make a special drive to deal with the challenges facing the area.
Will the Minister ensure the provisions in the plan which I understand is a proposal to spend €10 million a year on the promotion of the Shannon area are put in place as soon as possible? If the current routes are not supported, they could be withdrawn. The Minister may be aware that American Airlines and Air Canada will cease operations in October and Delta Airlines which I understand operates flights to Atlanta, an important hub for Florida and southern USA, will cease operations on that route this winter. This will be a major blow to Shannon Airport. One major hotel in the Shannon area has had cancellations from 11 group tours, representing approximately 2,000 bed nights, due to the uncertainty regarding flights into the region in 2008. I appeal to the Minister to ensure this fund is put in place immediately as, otherwise, there will be further cancellations and uncertainty.
A recent programme on American television, "Where in the world is Matt Lauer?", was watched by 7 million people. It showed beautiful images of the west of Ireland but, at the end of the programme, suggested that to get to Ireland, visitors should come through Dublin Airport. There was no mention of Shannon Airport, which was an opportunity lost.
Will the Minister indicate whether he has the information I seek? How many seats are available in summer 2007 coming into Shannon Airport and how many will be available in 2008? That is what matters.
I will have to wait until the Government concludes its thinking on the proposals from my colleague, the Minister for Transport and the Marine, in regard to an economic and tourism development plan for the Shannon Airport catchment area, which the Government will examine shortly. The Deputy will recall that, as Minister for Transport, I put legislation through the House in regard to securing the independence of Shannon Airport and giving it the opportunity to develop its own future and attract its own visitors. I accept there are challenges in the Shannon area as a result of the open skies regime but there are also opportunities. The plan which the Minister for Transport and the Marine and I will bring forward will help considerably to bring additional numbers into the Shannon region. There are approximately 300,000 North American visitors to the Shannon area annually, although I appreciate that this number has remained static and that the phasing out of the stopover will bring real challenges. However, there is a strong board and strong leadership at the airport. The new plan which I am confident the Government will put together will make a real difference to the region.
