asked the Minister for Defence if he will allow Swords Community Council to take a block letting of the Slua Hall, Swords, County Dublin with a view to having full use made of the hall and taking into consideration the fact that the community council would be responsible for the day-to-day management of the hall and the allocation of time to various local organisations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Swords (Dublin) Hall.
6.
The Swords Slua Hall is required for military purposes and in the circumstances a block letting thereof cannot be granted to any outside body.
Application from the Swords Community Council and from other organisations for the use of the hall for particular functions will be considered on their merits, as heretofore.
The Minister will appreciate that in order to organise a social activity on a regular basis it is necessary to have regular bookings of a premises. Would the Minister not agree to allow block booking at times outside the times needed for military purposes? I do not think the premises are used that often by the military.
No. The position is that it is used quite often. It is used by "B" Company, 7th Infantry Battalion, FCA, on Thursdays and at week ends; it is also used by the local Civil Defence unit on one night per week and by "B" Company basketball team, who are the present champions, on one night per week and occasionally on two nights per week. Two organisations have recently been offered the use of the hall on one night per week subject to certain conditions, namely, St. Columcille's Gaelic Football Club, Swords and the Aer Lingus Shooters Club. Neither organisation has as yet definitely accepted the offer due to the fact that both are in the process of completing negotiations with an insurance company for the necessary fire insurance and public liability and indemnity insurance cover. That is the position. Swords Community Council are very welcome.
They are welcome to apply for times outside that?
They are welcome to book with anybody else but I cannot exclude an FCA basketball team. I cannot exclude the FCA itself. I cannot exclude Civil Defence. I think the Deputy would also like that I should include in the people whose application would be considered sympathetically St. Columcille's Gaelic Football Club and the Aer Lingus Shooters Club. There is nobody putting them away but I cannot give them a block booking.