Vol. 657 No. 3
62 Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation’s recent report into the challenges facing the Shannon and western region; the action he will take in respect of the recommendations that fall directly under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24542/08]
The recent Irish Tourism Industry Confederation's report reviews the factors impacting on the short-term outlook for tourism through Shannon Airport and Ireland generally. It highlights how external factors, such as the economic slowdown in some of our key markets, the relative strength of the euro against the US dollar and sterling, high oil prices and difficulties in the airline industry, present particular challenges this year for Irish tourism. The report also highlights that the Irish tourism industry is in a healthy state and is better positioned to withstand any downturn than in the past as the fundamentals of the industry remain strong.
In terms of specific recommendations under my remit, the report calls for continued funding of Discover Ireland's Wonderful West campaign and other marketing support to maximise opportunities provided by direct services to Shannon. The Government has allocated €50 million, the largest amount ever, for the overseas marketing of Ireland as a tourist destination this year, including an additional €3 million specifically for Discover Ireland's Wonderful West campaign overseen by Tourism Ireland. The campaign, which was developed by Tourism Ireland in consultation with local industry interests, is well under way, focuses on ease of direct access and the good value fares and packages available. I understand the campaign has generally been very well received to date and that is acknowledged in the ITIC report.
Furthermore, I am aware that Tourism Ireland is planning a major autumn campaign in North America to promote travel to Ireland during the autumn and winter period and in 2009. Tourism Ireland will continue to work with carriers to develop opportunities presented by new routes and existing routes of strategic importance. The provision of additional funding for marketing campaigns in the future will be a matter for discussion with the Minister for Finance in the upcoming and future Estimates process. Other tourism-related recommendations, such as the need to improve competitiveness and to improve the range of visitor attractions, are matters for everyone working together in tourism enterprises as well as in the State agencies.
The tourism agencies continue to monitor our competitiveness as a tourism destination and to assist enterprises in responding to changing conditions through the provision of marketing, human resource development and product development supports. I am assured that the tourism agencies will take into consideration the recommendations of the ITIC report in planning for the balance of this year, 2009 and beyond.
I question whether the fundamentals of the industry are as good as they might have been when the report was written. If one was writing the report today it might be a different one. The report described the issues impacting on the industry in the west generally as the perfect storm. The potential of the open skies policy has been negated by the economic downturn and the price of oil among other factors. The concentration has been on the North American market where we thought the potential lay for next year but we should accept that may not be the case. I do not know whether the Minister is aware that in recent months six American airlines closed for business completely and a seventh airline sought protection under chapter 11. Perhaps we should turn our attention to marketing the new Air France route and the variety of Ryanair-provided routes into Europe.
A steering group was set up to carry out a feasibility study on a conference centre for the west of Ireland. It seems there is huge potential for business tourism for a medium-sized conference centre. We will have to concentrate on specific areas. The west can attract niche business, as is the case in the rest of the country. Has the feasibility study been completed and what has happened to it? Although the study was promised at the time the open skies deal was done, it appears to have fallen off the agenda.
I am sorry that the questions are so long. No matter what question I ask about the customs and border protection facility I cannot seem to drag any information from the Government about it. The provision of that facility here is important as it would give us penetration into other American cities. When will the facility be provided? Is it possible to bring the necessary legislation forward so that we can fast-track that facility? Is the reason for the delay the lack of physical infrastructure at the airports to carry out border checks or what is the hold-up? My two questions are on the conference centre and the customs and border control facility.
In general, the figures for the first quarter of the year are telling in that they show a 4.5% growth again. I do not expect that level of growth will be sustained throughout the year but it is a good start and it will be helpful in terms of overall figures. Having breached the 8 million barrier last year the indications are that the figure will be about the same again this year. That would be a remarkable achievement given that it is more or less double the population of the country.
There may be some changes in strategy on the American market. Deputy Mitchell correctly highlighted the significance of the dollar value against the euro for American tourists. That has clearly impacted on Americans travelling not just to Ireland but to Europe in general. As I highlighted in my response, the extra funding for the wonderful west campaign, which was developed in consultation with local interest groups, and the targeting of the North American market in particular in the autumn was believed to be the way to go, not alone with the overall fund but with the €3 million additional spend allocated by the Government for the west of Ireland.
I have had discussions with some of the tourism bodies and they have informed me that there is also a strong concentration on the United Kingdom market to try to maintain the numbers that come to Ireland and to grow the market. The tourism bodies, which are in the best position to do so, are planning to realign some of the spend and they have realigned and moved forward some of the spending concentration to the market in the UK. Tourism Ireland and the local tourism authorities are and will be in discussion with each other specifically on the tourism campaign in the west.
I do not have any specific detail on a conference centre in the west. Clearly, the big priority is to get the first major national conference centre completed in Dublin.
That was not the commitment. A feasibility study was promised and it was not dependent on finishing the conference centre in Dublin.
I did not say that, what I said is that we have been waiting so long for a conference centre that I am anxious, as I am sure everybody is, to get the conference centre in Dublin finished. I will revert to the Deputy as I do not have any specific information on the matter. I appreciate the value of conference facilities, given the size of that market and the tourism potential that flows from bringing people to the country for conferences.
The second point related to custom and border protection facilities. I have some familiarity with this matter as I dealt with it when I was Minister for Transport. The Deputy is also familiar with the area. There was an absolute commitment to have the facility located in the two big centres in Ireland, one in Shannon and one in Dublin Airport. It was agreed to proceed with the Shannon project much more quickly because the facility in Dublin was affected by the reorganisation and rebuild there. There simply was not the space to put it in but it is being planned and built into the new facilities in Dublin. It was my understanding that an investment of €50 million to €60 million was required and the Dublin Airport Authority, in conjunction with the Shannon Airport Authority, was happy to make that commitment. Such a facility will make a unique selling point, especially for the west as it will be up and running before the one in Dublin. It will have a certain attraction in terms of building a customer base in Shannon.
I am aware discussions took place between the appropriate authorities in Shannon and the American authorities, who have a significant role in the matter as they man and control the border control centres. I do not have information in my note on the matter but I will pass on the Deputy's concerns to my colleague, the Minister for Transport. I agree it is an important element for the development of Shannon and Shannon Airport. Even with the limited facilities in Shannon, I understand that for the sake of convenience many people come from the UK to Ireland to get pre-clearance to travel to the United Stated. It is important that the facilities are fully rolled out. I understand the Americans do not have plans to put the pre-clearance facilities anywhere else.
While it would be great to have the facility in both Dublin and Shannon, to give Shannon the advantage it clearly needs — that will become increasingly obvious in the coming months — it is important to fast-track the facility in Shannon as I do not believe such a significant build is involved in Shannon as in Dublin.
When I was in that Department it was certainly my intention that Shannon would get the advantage of starting first, simply because it was possible to proceed with it, whereas this was not the case in Dublin. I will certainly communicate with the Minister for Transport to ascertain the status of the matter.
63 Deputy Mary Upton asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of reports that have been commissioned by his Department that are awaiting publication; the reason for the delay in publication in each case; the cost of each report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24585/08]
No report that has been commissioned by the Department is awaiting publication. However, as the Deputy will appreciate, a number of reports are completed or nearing completion under the Department's value for money programme, which will be published in the short to medium term. Reports on the Department's swimming pools programme and on the Irish Film Board have been finalised and a report on the Irish Sports Council will be finalised shortly.
In addition, a report by the tourism strategy implementation group, appointed to oversee the implementation of the outstanding recommendations in the report of the tourism policy review group, New Horizons for Irish Tourism: An Agenda for Action, and to address other matters, has been completed in recent weeks. I intend to bring this report to Government shortly with a view to publication subsequently.
I welcome the fact that no reports are awaiting publication. However, my question also sought details of the cost of each report and I would welcome some information in that regard. I raised that point based on previous information I received regarding reports commissioned by outside consultants. In summary it appears that approximately €305,000 was devoted to those reports. The Minister has said they have been published. However, in reality they are not available to Members of the House for the most part and in a number of cases there seems to be no action on them. I seek two further pieces of information, the cost of the reports as requested in the question and when they will be made available so that we might get some action on them.
In response to a recent parliamentary question I gave the Deputy details of consultants commissioned by the Department since 2006. As some of these reports are not finished I do not have the invoicing and costing in place. If there is more up-to-date information than the information already provided to the Deputy I will certainly make it available to her. I have no new information to add to the information I gave her.
Regarding the arts in education report which involves the Department of Education and Science, a game of ping-pong appears to have been going on for some time. I acknowledge that I received a letter from the Arts Council informing me that at the most recent meeting of the council it was decided to publish the report in the coming weeks, which I welcome as we have been seeking it for some time. Would it be possible to expedite these reports in some way such that one Department would take responsibility for implementing the reports' proposals? This issue has been passed back and forth between the Departments of Education and Science and Arts, Sport and Tourism. I recognise the need for that interaction and I would be the first to seek co-operation between the Departments, but in reality there is a game of ping-pong going on between the two Departments with nobody taking responsibility.
I am well aware of the report. The Deputy is correct in that the report will be launched within the next week or two. I am committed to and see the direct benefit of arts in education. It would be wrong to suggest that because a report has not been published nothing is happening in this area. As the Deputy may be well aware — I have witnessed this in many schools that I visited in the recent past — the development of arts programmes in schools is significant. We would all accept there is enormous direct benefit to the students in participation in various arts programmes. I have particularly seen that in a number of primary schools I have visited recently. I accept this new report is important. I have discussed it with the Minister for Education and Science and, while I will not speak for him, I know he is very much in favour of the arts in education. We need to ascertain how we can continue to enhance the development of arts in schools. We will see whether that will happen.
64 Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the progress on the provision of a new building for the National Theatre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24543/08]
In 2006 the Government decided to proceed with the redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre by way of a public private partnership on a site at George's Dock, on a build, finance and maintain basis. This site was chosen following an extensive search exercise conducted by the Office of Public Works.
Arising from the Government decision, an inter-agency steering committee was established to oversee the project. The committee is chaired by the Department and comprises representatives of the National Development Finance Agency, the Office of Public Works, the Abbey Theatre and Dublin Docklands Development Authority. At its first meeting the steering group decided, inter alia, that the Office of Public Works should prepare the documentation necessary for holding an international design competition for the new Abbey Theatre. An international design competition was one of the conditions of the offer of the site by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority.
A project team, chaired by the Office of Public Works and comprising representatives of the same agencies as the steering group, has also been established and is overseeing the executive and procedural arrangements for holding the international design competition and advancing the PPP process. The Office of Public Works has asked the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland to organise the competition. The competition regulations are nearing finalisation. The technical documentation for the competition must be very carefully specified, in particular the detailed technical and accommodation brief for the new theatre. Work on this is nearing completion.
A jury for the international design competition was appointed late last year. In the meantime, the Office of Public Works is also working on drafting output specifications in collaboration with the Department, the Abbey Theatre and the National Development Finance Agency. Technical, legal, insurance and financial advisers have been appointed to guide and advise the inter-agency teams in the procurement of this epochal and crucial project. A theatre consultant and acoustic consultant have also been appointed. Furthermore, a process auditor is in place in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines.
The project is complex and there is a myriad of technical, procedural and legal factors to address in making progress on it. The successful delivery of this project is a priority for the Government in the programme for Government and the national development plan. When a winning design has been chosen, the National Development Finance Agency will oversee the PPP procurement process in accordance with PPP guidelines. I am confident that when the international design competition is complete we will have a world-class design for a new iconic landmark building for the city and the new quayside theatre will be a dynamic structure reflecting Dublin's growing reputation as a global capital of culture and creativity. The market is well aware that this project is on the way and the international competition for the design of the theatre should get under way formally before the summer is over.
This is one of those sagas that highlights the difficulty the Government has in driving any major project to completion. It was in the programme for Government in 2002 to celebrate the centenary of the Abbey Theatre in 2004. In 2006 the Ceann Comhairle, who was then Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, approved the design competition. More than a year later the then Minister, Deputy Brennan, announced that he had selected the design team. Another year later we now hear that we have only reached the stage where the regulations for the design competition are nearing completion. If the design competition regulations have taken this long, how long will the design competition take? How long will the design take? Will this project happen in our lifetime? What timescale does the Minister envisage for the building of the theatre? The crucial issue is that this was designed to be provided by means of a PPP.
I remind the Deputy that we have limited time for Priority Questions.
I realise we are running out of time. The Minister spent a long time saying nothing to me. A PPP may no longer be a realistic proposition. As he rightly said, it is a complex specialised building. Is it realistic that the Government will find a partner to provide a theatre on this site or will we need to find another method of funding? Will the whole project go back to the drawing board? I ask the Minister to give us a definite date. It is ludicrous that we have only reached the stage where the regulations for the design competition are nearing completion.
I have been involved in a range of these projects and they are not as simple as the Deputy suggests. In the conclusion of my remarks I said the market is well aware this project is on the way and the international competition for the design of the theatre should get under way formally before the summer is over. As the Deputy knows, we have just successfully launched the total rebuild of the National Concert Hall, which is a major project, more or less equivalent in scale to this one. That is also a PPP and it has finally got off the mark. There are issues between those trying to make the property work on the site and do the technical specification. Some changes were made on that which reconfigured the building. These things happen when one is trying to get to the stage where one can go formally to the market. One has to have the technical specification correct. The design will be done through an international design competition, so the OPW and Department are not designing the building.
That is my point. They are not designing the building, only a competition.
The Deputy would know that to go to the market, one has to be very specific on the parameters and technical specification for the project. All the key people, down to the experts on acoustics required for a theatre of this magnitude, are already on board. They are finalising all that technical work and it should go to the market this summer. I am anxious to see this project proceed. I was pleased to get the National Concert Hall under way very quickly. That has happened and the next big project to get under way is the Abbey.
We must move on.
By when do the designs have to be submitted?
I do not have that information here but given the scale of the project, if we get to the market before summer, I would imagine a six-month timeframe.
The Minister is allowing six months to design the building while the Department got two years to design the competition.
I would say it will certainly take that amount of time.
I see no opening night in sight.
One does not design a €200 million project on the back of a postage stamp. It is a huge project.
That is precisely my point. The Minister is giving them six months while his Department had more than two years.
We must move on to Question No. 65.
I am answering the Deputy from experience that it will be at least six months. It may be more than that. I will come back to her when that timeframe has been decided. I am not deciding the timeframe as it is being done by those involved in the project management from the OPW and the National Development Finance Agency.
65 Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when it is envisaged that the second round of the local authority swimming pool grant scheme will be initiated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24544/08]
A sum of €184 million has been provided in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 for supporting existing projects in the local authority swimming pool programme and for new projects to be selected following the launch of a new round of the programme. The terms and conditions of a new round will be devised taking into account the recommendations of the value for money and policy review report on the existing programme which has been completed by my Department and which will be published shortly. The launch of the new programme will be a matter for discussion as part of the Estimates process which will start shortly between this Department and the Department of Finance.
I thank the Minister. I submitted this question because I was shocked to find out through a freedom of information request that the then Minister for Finance, the Taoiseach, Deputy Cowen, refused the Minister's predecessor permission to announce a new round. This will come as devastating news to the local authorities around the country which, far from providing new pools, are closing pools because of the absence of finance. Applications for the current scheme closed in 2000. It is eight years since any local authority could apply for funds, never mind to build a pool or to refurbish one. As the Minister knows, pools that are not refurbished become unhygienic, cannot be used and must be closed.
It is crucial to realise that, in an island nation, although swimming is on the primary and secondary school curricula, we do not have pools in which these children can learn to swim. With the local authority programme in England every citizen, adult and child, has access at very reasonable rates to a local authority swimming pool. The objective to coincide with the 2012 Olympics is to have free swimming available to every citizen in Britain. Could we at least provide the pools in which our children may learn to swim? It is ludicrous. Apart from the fact that where pools are available they are often privately owned and children in national schools pay huge sums of money for swimming lessons, large numbers of children never have access to a swimming pool. What contact has been made with the new Minister for Finance to see if this programme can be reopened? It is vital. It is ludicrous that we cannot have a swimming pool programme and that no applications have been accepted since 2000. It is unacceptable.
That is a very distorted way of looking at the programme. Total expenditure of €120 million has gone in and this has leveraged approximately €378 million. Since 2002, some 57 new projects are being dealt with under the programme. This is a phenomenal number of direct pool projects. Some 45 projects have been allocated grant aid of which 34 have already been completed. I opened three of these in the past few weeks. The delivery of this programme has been ongoing at quite a pace.
Those were mainly refurbishments.
Some 34 have been completed, 11 more are under construction and 12 others are at various stages, two preparing tenders, seven preparing contract documents and three are preparing preliminary reports. The scale of the programme over the past number of years has been extremely significant. I agree with the Deputy. If the resources are available to me, I would like to open a second round of swimming pool programmes. That will be a matter for discussion between me and the Minister for Finance as part of the Estimates process.
The money was nominated in the national development plan but has been refused by the former Minister for Finance, now the Taoiseach. Clearly this is not a priority.
We must move on. We are way behind time.
That was in the context of a new Government being formed within a matter of weeks.
66 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when he will enact legislation to give official recognition to the institute of sport as envisaged in the Athens and Sydney reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24584/08]
The Irish institute of sport has been in operation since 2006 as a unit within the Irish Sports Council with its own specially selected board. The executive chairperson, supported by a senior management team, which includes a director of sports science, director of sports medicine, director of athlete services and a director of technical services, has been working with the national governing bodies of sport and the elite athletes in ensuring that they have available to them the most up-to-date supports as they prepare to represent Ireland at international events. The budget of the institute for 2008 is €3.9 million compared to its first full year budget in 2007 of €1.4 million.
The Department has been working on a Bill to enable the Irish Sports Council to establish subsidiaries such as the Irish institute of sport. At the launch of the institute, the intended corporate governance structure was that it would be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Irish Sports Council. As the Irish Sports Council legislation did not have provision for the council to set up a subsidiary, amending legislation is required. I have already indicated to the House that issues have arisen during the course of the drafting of the Bill which are under discussion between the Department, the Department of Finance, the Irish Sports Council and the Office of the Attorney General. I also indicated to the House that I do not necessarily take the view that the continued creation of new bodies is the way to go every time. In addition, I am cognisant of the recently published OECD review of the structure and governance of State agencies and I will bear that in mind in my consideration as to how best to proceed. In the interim, the institute is getting on with its work and the absence of a statutory base for the institute at this time is not preventing it from delivering its much sought after services.
I thank the Minister. This is an ongoing saga. It is important that there is the best support for our athletes and elite athletes. I keep returning to this and have asked it in a number of different ways. It was envisaged that it would be autonomous. It was recommended in the Athens and Sydney reports. Would the Minister agree that while he says the work is ongoing, the chief executive and staff he mentioned are working in limbo because they are not in a position to make any autonomous decisions? It is a subsidiary of the Irish Sports Council. Does the Minister agree that in the short term — we are on the eve of the Beijing Olympics — this institute of sport needs to be either put on a legislative footing or abolished? It has a board, staff and chief executive but is not able to make any real decisions without the authority of the sports council.
I do not agree. The institute has been established as a unit within the Irish Sports Council. That is a very independent and autonomous body. They can and do make decisions working together within the remit of the institute of sport. They have directors of sports science, sports medicine, athletes' services and technical services. The issue of whether this body should be independent and statutory is a moot point. I want to examine the various aspects of the Irish Sports Council's remit and see whether it is in the best interests of all that the institutes be separated from it. While I have not come to a conclusion on that, I am loath to go down the road of simply creating more and more bodies. The Sports Council is a body of great importance and one that is hugely familiar with the entire remit of sports in this country. At present, the Irish institute of sport is working well within that body.
It was initially the Government's idea to create this. When will the Minister come to a decision on whether he will put it into legislation? Will he let it continue as it is, as he suggested?
The point is that the Irish institute of sport has been set up and is working efficiently and well. The Deputy asks whether it should be on a statutory basis and independent.
It was a Government decision.
It was its decision.
I have just given a very clear indication to the Deputy that I am reviewing that. I do not necessarily take the view that the creation of more and more bodies in all areas is in the best interests of the people we are trying to serve. I have no indication at this stage——
When will that review be concluded?
I will bring it to a conclusion fairly soon. We will need to move on and whether we move forward by setting up the Irish institute of sport entirely on its own and independent or keep it within the Sports Council is a decision that needs to be made in the near future.
