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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Oct 2007

Vol. 640 No. 3

Other Questions.

Sports Capital Programme.

Bernard Allen

Question:

6 Deputy Bernard Allen asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if sport might benefit to a greater extent through provision of facilities for universal sports education in schools rather than simply targeting the self-selecting participants who benefit from the various programmes for the disadvantaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25614/07]

Frank Feighan

Question:

14 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the discussions he has had with the Department of Education and Science regarding the possibility of joint funding of sports halls for primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25615/07]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 14 together.

The sports capital programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations and, in certain circumstances, sports and colleges, throughout the country. It is the main vehicle for development of sports facilities at local, regional and national level throughout the country. Under the programme, priority is given to the needs of disadvantaged areas in the provision of sports facilities

Primary and post-primary schools wishing to be considered for funding under the programme may apply for it jointly with local sports clubs or community groups and must meet other conditions including a requirement that the local community will have significant access to the proposed facility, at least 30 hours a week throughout the year, when it is not being used by the school itself. Any sports facility proposed for funding by a sporting organisation, and which would be located within school grounds, would have to meet these same conditions. Applications from primary and post-primary schools and colleges on their own are not considered under the programme. Responsibility for the provision of sports facilities in schools and colleges is a matter in the first instance for my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science.

My Department has commenced work on the development of a national sports facility strategy that will advocate a planned approach to the provision of sports facilities at both local and national level. An inter-agency steering group has been established to oversee this work and includes representation from my Department and the Department of Education and Science. The work of this group has included discussions with the Department of Education and Science on how its policy on the provision of sports hall facilities and my Department's policy for the provision of sports facilities might be complementary. The issues raised by the Deputies will be addressed in the development of the new strategy for sports facilities.

I welcome the Minister's reply and thank him for it. These questions were tabled because, like most people, Members are concerned that so many children never come into contact with sport. In many cases they are unhealthy and obese and are not excelling in sport. I do not need to indicate to the Minister the benefits that accrue to a generation of children exposed to sport at a young age. Such children carry those benefits with them throughout their lives. However, there are children who go through primary and secondary school without ever visiting a sports hall.

We are doing something wrong. Every child has a right to become involved in sport. Money is being invested in programmes relating to disadvantaged areas but these largely help children who are in any way self-selecting. No matter how disadvantaged, a motivated parent will push his or her child forward. Clubs do great work but they tend to cherry-pick the best children. Every child deserves to and should be exposed to sport. The State has an obligation to ensure that children have access to sport.

The corollary to this is that where facilities are provided in schools at public expense, such facilities must remain open for use after 5 p.m. each evening and at weekends. Will the Minister indicate the progress that is being made in respect of this issue? I accept that it is a condition for future funding in respect of facilities in schools. However, there are schools throughout the country that have facilities — even if, for example, these are only basic playgrounds — which are locked up and which children cannot access. This is an important matter, particularly in the context of the numbers of working parents who cannot and who do not have the time to bring their children to sports facilities outside their areas. All primary schools have some form of facilities and these should be made available to local children.

I have asked those responsible for the new national sports facility strategy to examine that matter. I take the Deputy's point. Since 1998, approximately €700 million has been allocated to 6,700 projects under the sports capital programme. This means that an enormous number of projects are spread throughout the country. It was extremely important for the nation that we spent that money on these projects. Having expended that money, we can now give careful consideration to the stock of facilities that are available. In the audit relating to the national sports facility strategy and in preparing for another round of sports capital programme funding, we must assess the areas in which facilities owned by schools and colleges complement public facilities. This is to ensure duplication does not occur, while also ensuring complementary facilities are available. It is in this direction the emphasis will now lie.

It might be better to address my question directly to the Minister for Education and Science. However, many schools have either no PE facilities or have facilities that are completely inadequate. Apart from the points raised by Deputy Mitchell regarding obesity, the need for PE etc., sooner or later PE is going to become a recognised school subject. We will then find ourselves in a situation where a subject that will be extremely attractive to many youngsters will be put in place but where the facilities necessary to allow them to avail of it will not be available.

Certain parts of my constituency would be regarded as disadvantaged and I am aware of the lack of facilities at some of the schools in these areas. Even when schools have sports halls, they often lack sufficient financial support to allow them to provide gym kits for students. Will the Minister comment on the need to provide broader support in respect of PE, particularly in the context of its becoming a school subject.

A total of 54 joint applications involving schools and colleges and their local communities were received last year and a sum of €1.4 million was allocated to 13 school-based projects. There is scope, and the opportunity exists, for our educational institutions to partner communities in seeking to develop sports facilities.

On the broader point, all the relevant research shows that sport and exercise are enormously beneficial — particularly in therapeutic and physical terms — to young people and adds greatly to their character. It is, therefore, incumbent on the State to provide the maximum level of facilities. As already stated, over a nine-year period almost 7,000 projects were funded by the taxpayer under the sports capital programme. If one travels throughout the country, one can see the enormous benefits that have emanated from these projects. What are normally referred to as minority sports also have been strongly supported. However, further co-operation, consultation and integration is required between my Department and the Department of Education and Science as regards sport. I engage in further work to ensure this happens and that we achieve the type of objective to which the Deputy refers, namely, a better, healthier lifestyle for students.

I agree with the comments made by everybody here regarding the importance of sport. As someone who was a teacher for 30 years, I realise the importance of this. Deputy Mitchell made the point about the use of facilities in schools for communities. It is a hugely important and burning matter and raises a number of issues, such as the question of insurance. I do not know whether this has been, or can be, overcome. There is also a fear among school principals that if their facilities are opened up, they will be closing up at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. The idea is fantastic but the process needs to be thought through to make it a win-win for everybody.

For too many years, physical education has been a joke in the sense it is supposed to be part of the curriculum but is pushed out because of the points race and the pressure on everybody and is regarded as an interference. That attitude must change. My experience of working with young people, both on the sports field and in the education field, has shown me that the disciplines they learn in sport can be carried into their academic careers and that they can cope better with their academic careers by letting off steam or their frustrations in sport. I do not see these things as problems, rather, I see them as huge opportunities. However, physical education has not been taken seriously up to now and there is a great opportunity for the Government and all of us involved to do this now.

Deputy Doyle has a brief supplementary question. We must then conclude discussion regarding these questions.

One of the difficulties faced by some organisations is that they do not own or have a 35-year lease on the grounds or facilities. This issue is probably relevant to national lottery funding as well as sports capital funding. Is the sports strategy review group addressing this issue? People find themselves in a chicken and egg situation. They cannot move because they cannot get the funding. They cannot get the 35-year or long-term lease because they cannot afford to purchase it without that sort of funding being made available.

In respect of trying to develop co-operation with existing educational facilities, such facilities do not want to and cannot lease their properties or grounds to an organisation that might use them. The organisation cannot then get access to funding without having a lease so this is something that must be looked at, particularly in respect of national lottery funding for the ongoing running of organisations. Many of these clubs are marginal. They are not the GAA or soccer clubs of this world. They are different athletic clubs and need land, which is a scarce commodity, but cannot afford to either lease or buy it.

Very practical issues have been raised by Deputies relating to insurance, leases and how all this can be dealt with. I will ask the sports facility strategy group through the national audit of local sports facilities that is under way to examine those issues.

As we invest heavily in bricks and mortar, which we have done very substantially for ten years, we must also continue to invest in and examine the extent to which we need to invest in the software side of it, as opposed to the hardware side. We can have many fine bricks and mortar projects but we need to bring on the people, including the professional support and volunteer background people, who will give us the athletes and performers. We must ensure we maintain a balance between investment in what I call the hardware side of sport and the software side. We must not get this too far out of balance or we will regret it.

Arts Funding.

Catherine Byrne

Question:

7 Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has given further consideration to arts bodies’ requests for increased funding in order to meet the strategy outlined in the Arts Council’s plan, Partnership for the Arts 2006 to 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25636/07]

Ciaran Lynch

Question:

52 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the steps being taken to provide multi-annual funding to the Arts Council as stated in the agreed programme for Government; if this will include a guarantee to increase Arts Council funding to €100 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25656/07]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 52 together.

I refer the Deputies to my response to Priority Question No. 3.

In his reply, the Minister referred to his response to Priority Question No. 3 today.

Does this mean I cannot ask a question?

No, it does not.

It relates to multi-annual funding for the Arts Council.

This is about increased, as opposed to multi-annual, funding. I will not labour the point except to say that there is an inescapable logic that if one sees the arts strategy — partnership for the arts — as desirable through increasing access to the arts at regional or other levels in society, such as schools or prisons, we must fund it. I made the point about the need to use the facilities, get value and maximise the potential of the considerable investment that has been made, as the Minister noted, in the hardware side of the arts. I ask the Minister to keep in mind that we must now invest in the people.

Multi-annual funding is very important for certain groups. The point was made to me that, for example, if one wants to engage an opera singer to perform, it will be vastly expensive and possibly must be arranged two or three years in advance. If one is working on a year-to-year basis, it is impossible to make those kinds of arrangements.

It is also very demanding for smaller groups when they try to fund and plan on any long-term basis. They are disadvantaged if funding is only provided on an annual basis. Perhaps the Minister would take this on board.

I made the point earlier that I am committed to examining how we can move in that direction in the context of particular areas within the remit of the Arts Council.

Heraldry and Genealogy.

Pat Breen

Question:

8 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the situation in respect of the issuing of coats of arms; his views on the issues the controversy raises in respect of the administration of the Genealogical Office and Office of the Chief Herald; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25582/07]

I have no statutory function for the matters referred to by the Deputy. The issuing of coats of arms and the administration of the Genealogical Office and Office of the Chief Herald are both the responsibility of the statutory board of the National Library of Ireland under sections 12 and 13 of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997.

I have been advised that the board of the National Library has lifted its temporary suspension on the granting of arms on foot of legal advice it has received which is to the effect that under the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997, the board can exercise the heraldic powers provided for in the Act. The board has also recently referred this advice to my Department as it has a bearing on certain functions discharged by the National Library prior to its corporatisation in May 2005. My departmental officials are considering this legal advice in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General as to what legislative action, if any, may be required.

I like to think that my question instigated that response. I am very pleased the Attorney General has suggested that the legislation that is in place is sound, if possibly not as robust as it should be. Is the Minister contemplating legislation to make, as he suggested, the existing legislation, which empowers the Office of the Chief Herald to issue coats of arms, more succinct? What is the problem? Can we retrospectively deal with the fact that there was no statutory basis for 40 or 50 years? This was slightly embarrassing for us. I am sure this can be resolved but could we move to do so before there is any more egg on our face?

I advise anyone planning to pull down their coat of arms over their mantelpiece, as well as the shotgun, to hold off for a while.

Action is on the way.

Action is on the way. It is not necessary to destroy one's coat of arms yet or take it off one's gate——

The Minister can see how effective I am.

——even if they are electric gates nowadays.

A Deputy

It depends where one is.

Between 1949 and 2005 there was probably no power to grant the coats of arms that were being granted at the time by the Genealogical Office under the Chief Herald. In 1997, legislation passed by these Houses effectively legalised or regularised the post of Chief Herald. The legislation provides that "The Board shall, from time to time as occasion requires, designate a member of its staff to perform the duty of researching, granting and confirming coats of arms and such member shall use the appellation Chief Herald of Ireland or, in the Irish language, PríorahAralt na hÉireann while performing such duties."

I am advised by the Attorney General that if we want to be absolutely certain that those coats of arms that were issued between 1949 and 2005 are all above board, we probably need to introduce a short Bill. His office assures me that would regularise the position. There is no difficulty at present because the Attorney General has advised that the Chief Herald can carry on with his duties. I am sure that is an enormous relief to everybody in the House.

I call Deputy Upton to celebrate this event.

I am mightily relieved at this outcome. This issue has been kicked around like a football, to use a sporting term, between everybody and anybody with references to 1922, 1943, 1997 and 2005. I hope the legislation required, however short and hopefully not too demanding, will be introduced quickly and that the matter will be finally resolved.

The Minister can expect it to have our full support.

It will ensure our coats of arms will be protected.

On a serious note, there is a tourism aspect to this issue which has been useful for the country and I would like to build on that. With the large number of our people throughout the world, this country requires a good professional genealogical service, which I believe we have.

National Stadium.

Damien English

Question:

9 Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will report on the zoning status of Abbotstown to allow for the provision of sports facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25611/07]

Leo Varadkar

Question:

57 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the Government’s plans to develop a national sports campus in Abbotstown, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15; and when he expects to lodge a planning application with Fingal County Council with regard to the same. [22329/07]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 57 together.

The Government has provided €149 million in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 for the development of a national sports campus at Abbotstown. The Government, in November 2005, already approved the development of facilities under phase one of a development control plan prepared by Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited, the predecessor of the National Sports Campus Development Authority, NSCDA. These facilities will be designed to meet the indoor and outdoor training needs of Irish elite sportspersons who compete at national and international levels and will also provide for the needs of the local community.

The facilities to be provided in phase one of the project will include a national field sports training centre catering for rugby, soccer, Gaelic games and hockey; a national indoor training centre which will provide world-class training facilities for more than 20 national governing bodies of sport; accommodation for sports men and women; sports science-medical facilities; and all-weather synthetic pitches for community use.

The Government decision for this stage of development included agreement to relocate the headquarters of the Football Association of Ireland to the former State Laboratory building at Abbotstown. Planning permission for a change of use for the State Laboratory was secured and the refurbishment work on the building is almost complete. It is expected the FAI will relocate to Abbotstown perhaps later this month.

It is also intended to provide a headquarters for the Institute for Sport by refurbishing an existing building on the site and a planning application for a change of use for this building has been lodged with Fingal County Council.

The Deputy will be aware the Government also decided to provide a site on the lands for the development of a hospice. In this context, St. Francis Hospice is involved in the planning stages of this facility.

A planning study for the Abbotstown site, which is a requirement under a local objective of the Fingal county development plan, has been completed by an inter-agency group, which included my Department, the Office of Public Works, the Department of Finance and Fingal County Council. This study sets out the mix of sporting, leisure, and amenity facilities that would be appropriate for the site. The planning study, including a proposal to change the zoning of a large portion of the site to open space to allow for sports use and for the woodland area of the site to be zoned high amenity, has been considered by Fingal County Council. Following a period of consultation, the planning study was approved at a meeting of Fingal County Council on 9 July last.

In formal terms, the resulting variation to the Fingal county development plan specifies or maps five local objectives as follows: to provide sporting facilities and associated infrastructure related to the national sports campus incorporating appropriate office, administration and accommodation space; to provide sport and recreational facilities for community use, including minority sport and leisure activities, with local clubs, voluntary organisations and Fingal County Council having an input into the future allocation of space or facilities and with facilities being affordable and accessible to the local population; to provide for a hospice; to provide public access to this open parkland and provide the necessary footpath network, landscaping and related development; and that development of the Abbotstown sports campus and site be accompanied by frequent public transport links as a priority to allow access for the mostly young users of the sports and recreational facilities.

Preliminary planning for phase one has commenced and the NSCDA is shortly to appoint a design team and a project management team for the project. It is then the intention of the authority to have detailed plans prepared so that planning permission can be sought for the implementation of phase one of the project. It is expected that planning permission will be sought during 2008.

In January last, under the National Sports Campus Development Authority Act 2006, the NSCDA was established on a statutory basis to succeed in function and responsibility Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Company Limited, CSID. In addition to overseeing the development of phase one of the campus, the new authority has been requested to identify the facilities that might be considered for the next phase of the development of the Abbotstown project. The Abbotstown facilities, when completed, will provide a much needed range of training and competitive facilities for our sportspersons.

The issue of this sports campus is another old chestnut. We have been talking about it for as long as I have been elected to this House, namely, some ten years.

I am pleased to note that Fingal County Council has changed its development plan to facilitate the development of the sports campus at Abbotstown, but I am disappointed we are still far removed from earth being turned on the site. I understand the design team has not yet been appointed. Once the team is appointed, its members must design the sports campus. Phase one of the project is a fairly large development and it will take time to complete. Once the design is completed, planning permission will have to be sought and then tendering for the construction work will take place. It seems it will be another five years before any physical work commences on the site.

Will the Minister do what he can to inject some urgency into progressing this project? This is a good time to build a development such as this one because building workers from the housing sector are becoming available and, therefore, labour is available. Also, good prices can be secured for the work. While it is a good time to build such a development, we need to get on with it and avail of the opportunities that exist in the market given the slight slowdown in other sectors of the building industry. The main issue is to get the sports campus up and running and not to waste any more time. It will be 15 years from when the project was first mooted before a shovel will have been put in the ground. The sooner we get on with the work, the better.

I was not aware that a hospice was to be located on the grounds and I am pleased to hear that. In tandem with most people, I am a huge admirer of the work of hospices. I am glad that St. Francis Hospice is being facilitated on these grounds.

Will the Minister bring a sense of urgency to this project to ensure there is no slippage between its various stages?

I welcome what the Minister outlined. I encourage the fast-tracking of this project as much as possible. I also welcome the inclusion of St. Francis Hospice on the grounds. That is worthy and we are all pleased to hear that.

The Minister said that Fingal County Council will be responsible for the further allocation of space. What he outlined is attractive and it appears to cover predominantly sporting activities and leisure facilities. Are there any plans in terms of administrative buildings? Will he indicate if a percentage of the grounds will be available for the development of facilities or services other than strictly sporting ones?

The list I laid before the House includes projects for phase 1. In so far as we may move on to another phase I have asked the board to examine what might be included in future phases. The first project is the national field sports training centre, catering for rugby, soccer, Gaelic games and hockey. The indoor training centre accommodation, a sports science medical facility and an all-weather synthetic pitch comprises the rest of phase 1.

Regarding Deputy Mitchell's point, we hope to receive planning permission for the entire phase in 2008. I will do everything possible to expedite it and will keep the House informed. I am waiting to hear from the board on what it believes should be included in the next phase.

I support Deputy Mitchell in this regard. The project will be a great addition to sports infrastructure in Ireland. I note the sports that will be accommodated. I urge the Minister to ensure the pitch is the correct size for Gaelic games, not like Lansdowne Road, which was supposed to accommodate Gaelic games. Pitches for Gaelic games are bigger than those for other sports.

It was not the size of the pitch that was the problem. I will ensure the pitches are of the required size as we develop them.

Tourism Promotion.

Denis Naughten

Question:

10 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the steps he is taking to promote and develop regional tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23960/07]

Denis Naughten

Question:

44 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the steps he is taking to promote and develop rural tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23961/07]

I propose to answer Questions Nos. 10 and 44 together.

Under the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003, the individual actions and measures relating to tourism promotion or development at regional level are day-to-day functions of the State tourism agencies, as is the promotion of individual product segments such as rural tourism. The Government has taken a number of steps to support the agencies in that regard.

During 2007 the Government provided a 13% increase in the tourism budget compared to 2006, bringing the allocation to €159 million, the largest ever Exchequer budget for Irish tourism. More recently, a pre-budget estimate of almost €164 million has been announced for 2008, an increase of 3%. I will seek additional funding in the coming weeks.

The National Development Plan 2007-2013 Transforming Ireland includes the largest ever Government investment programme for the development of Irish tourism. This tourism development programme, which provides for an €800 million Exchequer investment in tourism over the next seven years, has as one of its fundamental objectives the stimulation of regional development. The programme includes an international marketing sub-programme, which provides €335 million to promote the island of Ireland in key international markets. The key objective over the seven years will be to increase tourism revenue and visitor yield and to help achieve a wider regional and seasonal distribution of business.

It includes a product development and infrastructure sub-programme, which provides €317 million to upgrade and supplement our tourism attractions and activities and to deliver a national conference centre in Dublin. It also includes a training and human resource development sub-programme, which will invest €148 million in the education and training of the tourism workforce, both domestic and non-national, as well as sustaining structured educational opportunities in third level colleges and institutes of technology around the country. It will also provide for the continuation of initiatives aimed at improving management capability and networking in SMEs and micro-enterprises at regional level.

This is too broad a question to deal with in a few minutes. A matter that is on the mind of those in the tourism industry is competitiveness. I am conscious that Deputy Brennan is the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism but he is aware this is a cross-cutting sector, involving a number of areas. It is up to the Minister to ensure other Ministers, whose areas have an impact on tourism, deal with the issues of competitiveness, costs to hotels, tourist attractions and difficulties of access. The Minister must bring urgency to these areas, which have an impact on tourism. It will become more difficult in the future.

There are tax matters to be considered in the budget. The tourism strategy refers to excise duties on wine. There may be reasons not to reduce the price of alcohol but it is a cost to which European visitors refer as expensive. European visitors who are accustomed to wine at a lower price find it, among other things, a major cost.

I urge the Minister to be conscious of the EU review of VAT rates. At present the areas that will attract a preferential rate, lower than the standard rate of 21%, do not include food, accommodation and the hotel sector. Those in the accommodation industry hope that this is a mistake but it is important this matter is brought to the attention of the EU. The rate here is 13.5% but that is higher than many of our competitors, which has an impact on competitiveness. As the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism he must be responsible for more than just the matters within his remit. He should bring such matters to the attention of other Ministers.

The Deputy underlines the importance of the tourism industry, with almost 240,000 workers. If one takes a broad definition of hospitality it is arguably the largest employer in the State. It faces many challenges, including energy costs and wages. I have had many meetings with members of the industry. Remaining competitive is a major challenge for an industry of that size.

A new challenge is that more than one third of workers are non-national. The challenge is to ensure we have mature integration policies, particularly in tourism, which depends substantially on the work of those who come to stay with us as employees or tourists.

I share the Deputy's excitement about the industry, which has cost challenges and must try to win an increased share of the market. We must remember that tourists do not have to come to Ireland. The tourism industry is extremely competitive and people can travel to a myriad of places on family or business trips. Ireland must remain competitive and attractive. We must market what we have to offer.

Fáilte Ireland took a decision to deregulate the self-catering industry. This is the only part of the industry that is not regulated. I suspect it will not be promoted by Fáilte Ireland, leaving that sector in freefall. This should be addressed. The Minister may state that this matter should be referred to Fáilte Ireland but it will have a negative effect on rural Ireland, where the self-catering industry represents a significant part of the industry. Will investment be made in weaker areas? Agriculture was the mainstay of rural Ireland and agri-tourism will be very important. Many of these areas have little tradition or expertise in developing tourism.

It is extremely important, given the changing scene in rural Ireland, that those areas are supported and promoted more effectively.

On the issue of self-catering, I am aware that Fáilte Ireland took the decision to which the Deputy referred but then discussions took place between the self-catering organisations and Fáilte Ireland. I am not sure if the decision has been implemented as yet but I will check and revert to the Deputy. I am aware that the parties entered into a round of discussions as to how they might compromise but I do not know the final outcome of those discussions.

With regard to the other areas mentioned by the Deputy, there are special budgets in Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland for developing specialised areas like agri-tourism, environmental tourism, sports tourism, arts tourism and so forth. Agri-tourism is among a range of specialised areas that must be promoted. I will ensure that Fáilte Ireland and other agencies continue to invest strongly in products such as agri-tourism.

Arts Plan.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

11 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the key recommendations of the arts and education committee report; the action he will take to implement these recommendations; the locations where the funding required for new initiatives will be obtained; the Department that will take a leadership role on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25655/07]

Billy Timmins

Question:

22 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the status of the arts in education report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25647/07]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 22 together.

The Arts Council has presented me with a copy of the report and I have studied its contents. As this report has not yet been published it would be inappropriate to comment on its recommendations at this stage.

In advance of my considering the proposals further and discussing them with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, and with the Arts Council, it would be premature of me to comment further. The report will also have to be considered in the context of the 2008 Estimates and beyond. Those Estimates are currently being discussed with the Minister for Finance.

I understood that the report was to be published in May 2007 and hoped information would be available by now on the outcome. With regard to arts in education in general, like many other aspects of the economy, those schools in disadvantaged areas are least likely to have the supports needed to promote the arts within the school. The Minister referred earlier to the therapeutic value of sport and I am sure he would agree that the therapeutic value of art for many children is extremely important. Art also provides children with an additional skill. In more advantaged areas parents are often able to provide the necessary backup and financial resources for arts education. It is extremely important that there is a positive outcome on foot of the report and that it should be directed specifically towards disadvantaged schools, where often arts education is delivered in a very ad hoc manner. In some schools there is a teacher who is very committed and enthusiastic and has time to devote to the arts. In others the capacity will simply not exist. In that context, arts education must be underpinned by a financial commitment.

I wish to thank the members of the arts in education committee who worked hard to present this report to the Arts Council and then to the Department. We have not yet completed our examination of the report but some of the recommendations must be discussed with the Department of Education and Science and the Arts Council before we would be in a position to publish the report. Some issues are a little unclear and must be discussed further.

I wish to reiterate what Deputy Upton said. Many people have made representations to me concerning the report and are anxious that something positive should emerge. This is an enormously exciting area. Improving access and bringing arts in education to the whole country and all levels of society is very important. Every child should be exposed to the arts. I have had some experience of the artists in residence and writers in residence programmes, which are enormously beneficial and extremely popular in schools. I hope the necessary funding will be provided and a conclusion on the report reached as quickly as possible.

Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.

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